User:Easttimor

East Timor Law and Justice Bulletin

First published in 2008, the East Timor Law and Justice Bulletin publishes and distributes news in the English language on legal and political issues in this country. It is the successor to the East Timor Legal Information Service which began in 2004. There is a large archive of information on ETLJB alone and several other related archives and blogs such as the United Nations Police in East Timor security reports during the transition to independence when violence was still too infrequent.

ETLJB is a compilation of information from the Government of East Timor, the Parliament, the Courts and civil society organisations in the law and justice sector in East Timor. ETLJB has had almost 1.8 million page views since it began and is frequently cited in academic opuses such as doctoral theses.

ETLJB seeks to raise global awareness not just about problems in the law and its administration but about East Timor generally, its history, it culture and people. They endured a long and bloody genocide perpetrated by the Indonesian State during the 24 year occupation from 1975-1999 during which almost 200,000 people were murdered, raped, their homes burnt down, dislocated, impoverished, terrorised and massacred.

During these dark days in East Timor, it was the complete disintegration of the rule of law that allowed the murderous rampages. Military law prevailed under which there is no justice; only further injustice. The population was stripped not only of a whole generation but of its dignity as individuals and as a people attacked by foreign domination for the black gold in the Timor Sea and the imperialist propensities of the powerful Javanese in Indonesia who most benefited from the invasion and genocide.

The rule of law must be unwaveringly upheld by an independent judiciary whose security is assured by the executive of the State or autonomous judicial security personnel. There have been a spate of assaults on judges in East Timor. There is widespread corruption in State administration. The people are poor and are entitled to economic security and the protection of their legal rights.

ETLJB seeks to enhance global consciousness of this terrible struggle for independence after the worst genocide in the twentieth century and to seek support for the continued struggle for economic prosperity and justice for past and present crimes.

It is now 18 years since East Timor finally won its just battle for freedom but there is still not enough State financing of judges to minimise the opportunity for problematical behaviour or for the Courts to function efficiently.