freeport

We all take life the way it comes to us. I also have the same tendency and trust me after having a hectic session in office and then trying to manage the house, life seems to be so monotonous. Getting up in the morning, trying to make breakfast for myself and then coming to work and then again getting back from office...life seems to be the same. Finally I decided to take a break from the same schedule and pamper myself. To be honest I did not know how to go about the whole process of taking a break when my friends decided to go on a vacation to the Freeport Bahamas. Well I also joined them and trust me the experience I had is something that anyone can have and no one should miss the chance of going to the Freeport Bahamas. What I feel is that the Freeport Bahamas is one place or rather that one holiday destination that has so much to offer to all the tourists who decide to visit the exotic place for a vacation.
Freeport is the capital of the Bahamas Island and the Bahama Islands are a conglomeration of seven hundred small islands. Freeport Bahamas is the ultimate destination for anyone who wants to indulge in an exotic holiday with his friends or family. The Freeport Bahamas have a lot to offer and to explore. The white beaches in the Freeport Bahamas are completely clean and stone free place and trust me it is a treat to be in this place and one can sit there for hours and hours by just simply soaking up the sun and enjoying a memorable time with nature in one of the nature's best place.
The Freeport Bahamas is again a hot spot for the ones who are very much into adventurous water sports and outdoor games. You can easily indulge in water sports like swimming, diving and scuba diving. All you will need to do is freshen up yourself and let yourself flow with the tide. The other sport that can be enjoyed to all extents in the Freeport Bahamas is golf. The Islands in Bahamas have some of the best golf courses that include both kinds of golf courses, nine as well as eighteen holes, and this can be a pleasure for all you golf lovers. The Freeport Bahamas have some of the greatest and beautiful as well as challenging golf courses and this definitely stirs up the enthusiasm of the golf lovers.
Okay now I shall tell you how to decide on your vacation. All you will need to do is look out for a travel agent who can plan your trip to Freeport Bahamas. Basically these travel agents also help you to get a discounted rate of traveling to Freeport Bahamas and also give you discounted lodging rates in a Freeport Bahamas resort. Moreover if you go in for travel agent things become easier for you as you are not required to take any headache for your trip. You can simply go to Freeport Bahamas and indulge all your senses and have a nice rendezvous with nature.

Free West Papuan Political Prisoners

Photo by John M. Miller/ETAN

Free West Papua political prisoners!

Sign the petition 
to Indonesia's President SBY

Please support the appeal of Audryne Karma, daughter of West Papuan political prisoner Filep Karma, that you to instruct the government to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners in West Papua. 

Filep Karma with his daughter

Please donate today. http://www.etan.org/etan/donate1.htm

ANTI: We are very sad because you are starting to forget and ignore the history of suffering and the past that is still painful!

A-N-T-I
THE TIMOR-LESTE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR AN INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL
Aliansa Nasionál Timor-Leste ba Tribunál Internasionál

We are very sad because you are starting to forget and ignore the history of suffering and the past that is still painful!

ANTI is aware that every act of murder committed against Timorese citizens was done by those who were following instructions of their commander, namely Prabowo.

Today is the third day of the Development Partners Meeting in Timor-Leste. ANTI notes that the agenda for the Development Partners Meeting did not touch on the issue of justice, especially past human rights violations. We consider that the donors have only demonstrated a "half-hearted approach" or have not shown that they are serious about dealing with development issues in a comprehensive manner. 

Therefore gaps/inequalities continue to be created in society.

In accordance with news announced by the Antara News Agency on 10 June 2013 a meeting took place between Prabowo Subianto, Wiranto and Mari Alkatiri in Jakarta, Indonesia. Timorese leaders and the principal perpetrators of human rights violations have already met on numerous occasions since 2004. According to the aforementioned news report Mr. Mari Alkatiri visited the GERINDRA Party to meet with Prabowo and the GERINDRA Party leadership. Prabowo said that this visit was a special visit for Prabowo and his leadership. This news shocked the Timorese community because it reminds us of the atrocities committed by the Indonesian military, especially KOPASSUS, against innocent civilians in Timor-Leste during the occupation by the military regime.

Alkatiri (left) meets with Prabowo (right)

We are reminded of the human rights violations committed by Indonesia, especially those committed by KOPASSUS. The CAVR report indicated that there was a sharp increase in sexual violence during the mass arrests that took place between 1978-1983. After 1983 Kopassandha/Kopassus (Indonesian Special Forces) committed more than 100 arrests and incidents of torture in Mauchiga (Hatu Builico, Ainaro) and Kraras, Bibileo, (Viqueque). Prabowo was directly involved in the Craras Massacre in Bibileo. In addition, Prabowo?s men were also involved in the Santa Cruz Massacre (1991).

A number of cases involving sexual violations occurred in military posts or on military bases. In 1976, Prabowo was the platoon commander of the Group 1 Sandhi Yudha Troop Command (Kopassandha) that started to lead operations carried out by the
Nanggala Team in Timor-Leste.

We know for sure that he was involved in human rights violations committed in 1983, and at that time he was a captain.

It is very strange that Prabowo was a commander at that time and that he has not been held accountable for human rights violations that he committed together with his men. ANTI is aware that every act of murder committed against Timorese citizens was done by those who were following instructions of their commander, namely Prabowo.
Based on the CAVR report, approximately 102,800 people died as the result of murder, hunger and disappearances that occurred during the conflict. However, there are several estimates that are much higher than the one mentioned in the CAVR report. In addition, approximately 250,000 people were forced to flee to Indonesia and more than four thousand children were taken by Indonesia and until now their families don't know about their circumstances. More than 800 people were victims of forced disappearances and until now their whereabouts are unknown.

At the end of "Black September" in 1999, the UN Commission for Human Rights held a plenary session to discuss human rights violations in Timor-Leste. This special plenary session was the fourth special session conducted in the history of the Commission. The Commission strongly condemned the planned and systematic "crimes against humanity and violations of international humanitarian law" and called for the perpetrators of these crimes to be prosecuted. The Commission also requested to the UN General Secretary to set up a Commission of Inquiry. Not long after, Kofi Annan set up an International Commission of Inquiry on East Timor (ICIET). ICIET was able to fulfill its mandate by visiting Timor-Leste and Indonesia between November ? December 1999. ICEIT concluded that "a wide range of human rights violations and crimes against humanity and crimes against international humanitarian law had occurred over a long period of time that included intimidation, terror, destruction of property, violence against women and forced removal" At the same time the UN sent three special rapporteurs to Timor-Leste in December 1999. These special human rights envoys recommended for the UN to establish an International Court if the Indonesian government fails to effectively bring the main perpetrators of crimes to justice.

When the ICIET released its report, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson stated that "the report of the Commission of Inquiry has sent a message to the people of Timor-Leste that the international community has not forgotten their suffering. I hope that those that are responsible for the atrocities committed in Timor-Leste are held accountable so that there is no impunity"

However, until now the perpetrators have not yet been held accountable for the human rights violations that they committed. More disappointingly, cases involving serious crimes are starting to be forgotten and ignored. How can the chain of impunity be broken if there is no formal process to try the main perpetrators of human rights violations that occurred in Timor-Leste during the occupation? 

Therefore, ANTI calls for and demands the commitment of the international community to provide accountability for violations that occurred in Timor-Leste during the Indonesian occupation via a fair and credible process.

1. We request for the international community, including the people of America, England, France, Holland, Norway, Germany, Australia and Latin America, Africa and Asia to be morally responsible in accordance with international humanitarian law. ETAN and Amnesty International in particular need to keep focusing attention and following up on serious crimes cases that occurred in Timor-Leste.
    
2. We urge the donors to pay attention to crimes against humanity that occurred in Timor-Leste during the occupation by the Indonesian military to ensure that there is a legitimate process to break the chain of impunity because problems from the past will reflect on the development of democracy now and in the future.

ANTI considers that it is unfair for the international community to once again abandon us, and make that people of Timor-Leste the ones who have to be responsible for demanding accountability for human rights violations that occurred in Timor-Leste.

Dili, 20 June 2013

Members:

1. Asosiasaun HAK
2. JSMP (Judicial System Monitoring Program)
3. La'o Hamutuk
4. Fokupers
5. Asosiasaun Chega ba Ita (Acbit)
6. MDI
7. CDI
8. Luta Hamutuk
9. Kadalak Sulimutu Institutu (KSI)
10. Asososiaun Vitima 74-99
11. Timor-Leste Student Front
12. Forum Tau Matan (FTM)
13. Sek. Fongtil
14. Haberan Institute
15. Asean Justice and Rights (AJAR) - Timor-Leste

see also Human Rights & Justice page

• ANTI: Joint Statement on International Day for the Right to the Truth and Justice for Victims: ANTI demands for the State of Timor-Leste to not ignore the rights of victims
• As UN Meets on Anniversary of Massacre ETAN Urges UN and U.S. to Act for Justice for Timor-Leste (November 12, 2012)
• ANTI/Amnesty International: Tackling Impunity in Timor-Leste and Indonesia: Justice Is the Only Way, Statement to Commemorate November 12, 2012
• La'o Hamutuk: Ultimate letter to the UN Security Council about justice, sustainable development and not forgetting Timor-Leste (November
• ANTI: Letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on UN responsibility for justice (August 14)
• ANTI: Timor-Leste demands justice - “Because we love peace, and we want the truth to strengthen reconciliation” (May 18)
• 10 Years After Timor's Independence, Where Is the Justice? (May16)

now available: West Papua Report June 2013

now available: West Papua Report  June 2013

This edition of the West Papua Report's PERSPECTIVE is by a longtime observer of West Papua. This is the last of a three-part series (see Part 1 and Part 2). In this part, the author, who for his safety asked to remain anonymous, examines the decreased effectiveness of NGOs and the declining influence of elements of the religious community to improve the plight of West Papuans. He also sets out essential conditions for a successful Papuan-central government dialogue.

In UPDATE, Papuan political prisoners have spurned President Yudhoyono's pledge to offer clemency at some future date. The number of political prisoners nearly doubled in May. There has been significant progress in advancing West Papuan interests within the Melanesian Spearhead Group. Government intelligence and defense agencies yet again speculate that foreign agents are at work in West Papua. WPAT notes that such tales are usually created out of whole cloth in order to justify continued restrictions on outside observers. This report also details accounts of a wave of military-on-civilian violence in the central highlands, including the discovery of many mutilated bodies.

In CHRONICLE, we provides links to recent testimony before the U.S. congressional Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission on Indonesia and West Papua; to recent UN statements on West Papua's political status and the human rights situation in the territory; to Amnesty International's annual rights review of Indonesia; and to WPAT and ETAN's evaluation of the U.S. State Department's report of the human rights in Indonesia. Also, nearly a dozen international groups appealed to UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression. Finally, President Yudhoyono intends to offer a new version of "Special Autonomy" for West Papua. The new plan is a tacit admission that the existing "Special Autonomy" has failed.

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