Congratulary message of the Society for Threatened Peoples to the independence of Timor Lorosa'e

Society for Threatened Peoples congratulates the people of Timor Lorosa'e to become an independent nation after 24 years of Indonesian occupation and genocide. The independence of East Timor is not only a victory for democracy and human rights, but a bright sign of hope for oppressed and colonized peoples and nationalities allover the world: For the Sahrawis in Western Sahara to the Tibetans in the People's Republic of China, for Chechens in the Russian Federation to the Karens and other oppressed nationalities in Burma.

On behalf of the 10.000 members of our human rights organisation in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France and Bosnia we are appealing to the Timoreses to remember the darkest hours of their nation, when Indonesian soldiers committed genocide under the eyes of the international community. For economical, political, strategical and military reasons most of the governments of the Western countries ignored the genocide during 20 years, they even supported the Indonesian army by massive arms and weapons deliveries. During years and years they frustrated NGO's

like the Society for Threatened Peoples in their efforts to support democracy, human rights and selfdetermination for East Timor by insisting that Indonesia effectively controls East Timor. Sometimes in the eighties in the last century we were less than a dozen people remembering on the 7th of December in front of the Indonesian Embassy the Indonesian invasion of East Timor.

We are thankful that the situation has changed and that Timor Lorosa'e today has become a new member of the international community. We are thankful to Indonesian democrats who let East Timor go. We hope that democratisation in Indonesia will help to overcome the ongoing conflicts in Aceh, Papua and the Moluccas by peaceful means and dialogue.

We are thankful to Portugal and the United Nations which have been committed during decades to the right of selfdetermination of East Timor. The former colonial power has raised much criticism among its partners in the European Union for its committment to democracy and human rights in East Timor.

Finally the independence of Timor Lorosa'e is a triumph of human rights and international law for many NGO's supporting East Timor during its darkest days. Its a proof that genocide could not be tolerated by the international community. Reconstruction and reconciliation are important, but they should not overshadow the painful lessons from the youngest history of East Timor: Ignoring the massive human rights violations would endanger reconciliation. We will continue to assist Timorese NGO's in bringing all perpetrators of massive human rights violationsin East Timor to justice. And we will continue to support Timor Lorosa'e in its efforts to achieve reconciliation and reconstruction.

Tilman Zülch (President of the Society for Threatened Peoples)