A few days ago I returned from three and a half weeks in Asia.  Reflections on this demanding but fruitful trip are as follows:

At the request of Hafid Abbas, the Director General for the Protection of Human Rights in Indonesia, and the invitation of the co-chairs of the Indonesian-Timor Leste (East) Commission for Truth and Friendship (CTF), I spent a week serving the commission as a special lecturer and consultant. This unique bi-lateral commission is the only truth commission in the world between two independent nations. 

Alice Evans and I were working in Kupang, the capital of West Timor, during 1999 when rampaging militias murdered more than 1000 East Timorese and destroyed village communities as well as the capital city of Dili. Their actions were in direct response to the East Timorese vote for independence from Indonesia.  The violence led to the displacement of tens of thousands of East Timorese, many of whom fled to neighboring West Timor. Alice I conducted workshops in West Timor on conflict transformation and peace-building for religious and community leaders who had fled East Timor and for those who were receiving and protecting some of the thousands of refugees.  Six months later we conducted a similar series of workshops in Dili for clergy, human rights organizers, and UN personnel while this area was under the supervision of UN troops. 

Given our history with Timor Leste (East) and our years of work with the Indonesian Ministry of Law and Human Rights, I accepted the request to assist the CTF. The commission, established by the nation’s two presidents, has been criticized for not having its mandate established in the legal system or parliament of either nation.  My role was to consult with commission members and offer suggestions about approaches the commission should take to build credibility within both nations and with the international community. 

The commission, composed of highly respected citizens of both East Timor and Indonesia who work in legal, human rights, academic and religious fields, is charged with establishing the “conclusive truth” of the devastation of 1999.   The commission is also charged with promoting reconciliation and friendship between the two nations with a goal of ensuring non- reoccurrence of human rights abuses.

I believe the commission is important not only for building a constructive relationship between the world’s newest independent nation and its enormous neighbor, the fourth largest nation in the world, but also as a unique bilateral attempt to develop a model that may assist other countries around the world seeking to face the truth of past relationships and establish understanding and friendship.   

Unfortunately, the challenging work of the commission is currently stalled due to the tragic earthquake in central Java and the emergence of civil conflict in Timor Leste. The world has responded with compassionate assistance to the third major natural disaster in Indonesia in less than two years. At the same time, at the request of East Timor president, Xanana Gusmao, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand have sent peace keeping forces to restore order. The Secretary General of the UN is also preparing a report on whether to establish a new peacekeeping mission in Timor Leste. 

Plowshares is honored to pursue our ministry of peace and justice at the request of colleagues in East Timor and Indonesia who are seeking to bring order and peace in these times of natural disaster and civil crisis.