TimorNewsNetwork

Thirteenth anniversary of the founding of the East Timor Law, Basic Rights and Justice Association

Happy 13th birthday to the HAK Association! - HAK (Hukum, Hak Asasi dan Keadilan - Law, Basic Rights and Justice) began on 20 August 1996 during the final years of the occupation. It's now called the HAK Association.

It's FALINTIL's birthday too, and there will be plenty of celebrations for it. But, as the CAVR notes, "The diplomacy of the East Timorese resistance was the most important factor in achieving self-determination. The Resistance maintained its commitment in the face of extraordinary challenges including significant disunity, resource constraints, isolation and overwhelming odds, both inside and outside Timor-Leste. The diplomacy of the Resistance was ultimately successful because it focused on internationally agreed principles, eschewed ideology and violence, was open to the contribution of all East Timorese, and made maximum use of the international system, media and civil society networks. As a human rights and moral (rather than ideological) issue, the question of Timor-Leste gained international legitimacy and support at the expense of Indonesia whose case rested on force and had no basis in international law or morality."

http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/hass/Timor/3/sabica/index.html