Timor-Leste
From 1975 until 1999, women, children, men, and members of the LGBTQI+ community were subjected to various forms of conflict-related sexual violence during Indonesia’s brutal occupation of Timor-Leste. Survivors have spent anywhere between 25 and 50 years waiting for their right to reparation to be fulfilled. For some, it has sadly been too late.
Despite decades lost waiting and despite incredible work by local civil society organisations to support survivors, reparation remains urgent in Timor-Leste. Its timely delivery must be a critical consideration by the government. Authorities should provide full support to and follow the guidance of the Centro Nacional Chega! (CNC), the most recent body created for following up on the recommendations of the past truth commission.
In particular, the government should follow the recommendations of the CNC’s National Working Group on Reparations with regards to developing a reparation policy. As reparation remains elusive for now, and to ensure that aging survivors still see some form of repair, the Global Survivors Fund (GSF) and our partners Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR) and Asosiasaun Chega! Ba Ita! (ACbit), have begun an interim reparative measures project across all 13 municipalities in the country.
2022
WORK BEGAN
13
LOCATIONS
There is silence about what has been shattered in us. It needs to be revealed. We need to speak up about what happened so we can demand our rights.
We are identifying survivors who were subjected to rape, sexual slavery, and sexual torture in detention centres, as well as their children born of sexual violence. Children themselves were also subjected to conflict-related sexual violence during the occupation, with many taken to Indonesia and others abused while serving as military operations assistants. Having been unacknowledged in Timor-Leste's transitional justice period, our interim reparative measures project will include members of the LGBTQI+ community who were also subjected to conflict-related sexual violence during the occupation.
The Global Reparations Study on Timor-Leste