Looking forward - looking back in Timor Leste

Talking with friends from Timor Leste recently who are old enough to remember the Indonesian occupation and the violence surrounding the vote for independence I was struck by both their passion to build a new nation (looking forward) and a passion that those who committed atrocities should face justice and a public accountting for their activities. This is a view not shared by the current political leadership wo are urging everyone to simply look forward.

For a detailed look at the public record on the case of the Suai church massacre, where a militia leader was arrested and then released under political pressure from Indonesia into Indonesian custody see
http://www.laohamutuk.org/index.html

September 2009:
Maternus Bere's crimes, indictment, arrest and illegal release, reactions from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Amnesty International, Fongtil, Indonesian activists, the President of the Court of Appeal and others and photos of protest at Indonesian Embassy in Dili. Also no confidence motion, local and international media on this case. Mos iha lian Tetum. Also media articles about the case and background information on the Suai Church Massacre from CAVR and Geoffrey Robinson.

Osso Huna Pre-Secondary School - Timor Leste

Classroom in Osso Huna








Entertaining visitors - who came to help out with conversational English classes







Attached are some photos from Osso-Huna Pre-Secondary School up in the mountains south east of Baccau.


School Parents meeting








Lining up before school










Back in 2002 the community gave a high priority to education and established with the help of some teachers from the community a presecondary school. With the help of friends from overseas and funding from TEAR Australia the school has continued to run successfully and constructed permanent class rooms.

Report from the School
For the 2007-2008 school year that began on 6 October 2007 and ended on 30 June 2008, there were 80 students enrolled in the Osso Huna Pre-Secondary School. For Year I there were 33 students; Year II had 27 students, and Year III 20 students. These students received very good grades in English, Portuguese, Mathematics and Biology. In June 2008, the Year III students took their national exams. All but one of them passed. A graduation ceremony was held on 29 July 2008 for the 19 students who passed their national exams.

An alumnus of the Osso Huna Pre-Secondary School, is now continuing his studies in Sydney, Australia. He was one of 30 students that were selected by the Secretary of State for Petroleum in Timor Leste to receive scholarships to study about petroleum in Australia. He graduated from Osso Huna in 2004/2005. In December 2008 another two alumni from Osso Huna, were awarded scholarships to continue their studies in the Philippines.