Media Release First Congress of the East Timor Students Solidarity Council (ETSSC) East Timorese students hold first democratic congress. "Designing a new mission and vision for the new East Timor" The East Timor Student Solidarity Council (ETSSC) last week held their first national congress, the first democratic student congress held in East Timor. The Congress was held at the former site of the University of East Timor (UNTIM), and was attended by 500 students from all districts of East Timor. The East Timor Student Solidarity Council emerged in June 1998 following the resignation of Indonesian President Suharto. It is the main body of tertiary students studying in East Timor. It is established in all thirteen of East Timor's districts, and includes representatives from all tertiary institutions in East Timor. The Congress passed resolutions on issues ranging from agriculture and economic to political systems and language, as well as education. The Congress also democratically elected the new co-ordinator of the Student Solidarity Council, the first such election in the new East Timor. The student congress called for: * The re-establishment of all academies and the University that operated in Indonesian times. * Tetum to become the national language and, after three to five years, official language. During the transition period, Tetum, Portuguese, English and Bahasa Indonesian should all be used as the official language. A full list of the resolutions of the congress is attached. Joao da Silva Sarmento was elected as the new co-ordinator of the Council. He is a 24-year-old orphan who was born near Ossu, Viqueque. Mr Sarmento trained to be a priest before studying English at UNTIM. He has been a prominent member of the Student Council since its inception. He replaces Antero Benedito da Silva. The congress was addressed by Mari Alkitiri and Fr Filomeno Jacob, both members of East Timor's new transitional cabinet, as well as former UNTIM academics and an indigenous student activist from Australia. The congress decided that the focus of the Student Council's work in the next two years will be on building the capacity of the people, especially youth and students. The Council will also focus on East Timor's first elections and on the reconciliation process. For more information please contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or call +61 419871883. ---------- Penny Savidis Farrago Editor Farrago Melbourne University Student Union Inc.* First Floor, Union House University of Melbourne VIC 3010 phone: +61 3 8344 6957 fax: +61 3 9349 4945 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.union.unimelb.edu.au * Incorporated in Victoria Reg. No. A0017677L * Australian Business Number 71 639 615 753 -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
