>Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2000 21:18:46 -0800 >From: Green Left Parramatta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Title -- 2513 EAST TIMOR: First Tetun newspaper hits the Dili streets >Date -- 23 January 2000 >Byline -- Virgilio da Silva Guterres >Origin -- Pacific Media Watch >Source -- Lalenok (ET), via Sony Inbaraj [EMAIL PROTECTED], >18/1/00 >Copyright -- Lalenok >Status -- Unabridged >------------------- >Editorial: Lalenok, 18/1/00 >EAST TIMOR'S FIRST TETUN PAPER HITS THE STREETS > >* East Timor's first Tetun language news paper hit the streets on Jan >18. >The weekly, titled Lalenok was distributed free in Dili. The following >is an English translation of the editorial titled "Leno An" or Shadows: > >SHADOWS > >By editor-in-chief: Virgilio da Silva Guterres > >DILI: Four months have passed. The year 1999 was important and indeed a >turning point for the people of Timor Lorosae. Right, now we ought to be > >happy because what we have always dreamt of and fought so hard for with >our lives is already here. An overwhelming majority of Timor Lorosae >people decided not to accept Indonesia's offer of a "special autonomy". > >But problems persist. > >And we cannot ignore present realities. We had expectations that after >the referendum new hope will be born in 1999. But that never happened >and in fact the problems of that year have now been carried over into >the new millennium. > >1999 left behind a host of problems for Timor Lorosae people. The >problems ranged from political reconciliation to rebuilding, from >scratch, the country's economic, political and social infrastructure. > >The year 2000 is supposed to bring in globalisation and so-called >democratisation. On the other hand, however, we have to be on guard for >if we are not vigilant and fail to have time for self-reflection we >might >enter an era of neo-colonisation -- this time by outside forces beyond >our control. > >Interfet, UNTAET, UNHCR, OCHA (Office for the Coordination of >Humanitarian Affairs) etc have been in Timor Lorosae for the past four >months. But to date, despite the presence of these bodies and agencies, >workable systems are yet to be implemented in the country. > >In many parts of Timor Lorosae, we've heard of cases of people dying of >malnourishment, because the intended aid from UN agencies did not reach >them in time. > >CNRT, too, keeps Timor Lorosae people in the dark. The people eagerly >await to hear CNRT's plans for kick-starting the economy and political >reconciliation, but to no avail. To date they have kept silent, and have > >yet to clarify their stance on these important matters. In the cases of >language and currency, it's clearly a matter of a tiny minority trying >to impose their will on a majority. > >While Tetun is the lingua franca, these political elite insist on >Portuguese and the adoption of the escudo. So what will be the country's > >currency -- escudo, dollars or rupiahs? > >If we want a truly democratic Timor Lorosae, all parties and players in >the country have to be open and transparent with one another. > >Our political leaders have to respect the rights of the people to be in >the know of what decisions that are made in their name and in the name >of Timor Lorosae. They have the right to be informed and the right to >question. > >When we talk of national reconstruction, let us not forget social >reconstruction, too. > >In Timor Lorosae, now, there is massive social dislocation and >disintegration and the tasks of social reconstruction are immense and >complex. Social reconstruction requires the allocation of resources to >rehabilitate the social infrastructure and institutions to provide >people with health care, education and other services. This is a >precondition not only for people's survival, but also for enabling them >to contribute to the overall rebuilding process. > >For a people who have suffered over decades of extreme hardship under >the Indonesians, we long for a good life free from misery and brutality. > >For that good life, we need to search within ourselves and within our >country. Don't depend on everything that comes from Australia, Portugal >or the United States. And don't let Bank Mondial or Branco Nasional >Ultramarino Portugal dictate terms on how our economy should be >kick-started, ignoring advice from others. > >At this crucial moment in our history, we have to search within >ourselves in order to realise our mistakes and shortcomings and then >make efforts to correct them. Only then can reconciliation happen. But >the harsh reality still remains: we, at last, won in the referendum, but > >still remain unable to govern ourselves and our country. Why? The simple > >reason: We are NOT given the opportunity to be leaders in our own >country! > >+++niuswire > >PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is an independent, non-profit, non-government >organisation comprising journalists, lawyers, editors and other media >workers, dedicated to examining issues of ethics, accountability, >censorship, media freedom and media ownership in the Pacific region. >Launched in October 1996, it has links with the Journalism Program at >the University of the South Pacific, Bushfire Media, the Australian >Centre for Independent >Journalism, and Pactok Communications, in Sydney and Port Moresby. > >(c)1996-99 Copyright - All rights reserved. > >Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit >educational service. Copyright remains the property of the original >producers as indicated. Recipients should seek permission from the >copyright owner for any publishing. Copyright owners not wishing their >materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The views expressed in >material listed by PMW are not necessarily the views of PMW or its >members. > >Recipients should rely on their own inquiries before making decisions >based on material listed in PMW. Please copy appeals to PMW and >acknowledge source. > >For further information, inquiries about joining the Pacific Media Watch > >listserve, articles for publication, and giving feedback contact Pacific > >Media Watch at: >E-mail: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >or: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Fax: (+679) 30 5779 or (+612) 9660 1804 >Mail: PO Box 9, Annandale, NSW 2038, Australia >or, c/o Journalism, PO Box 1168, Suva, Fiji >Website: http://www.pactok.net/docs/pmw/ > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
