cover 26/9/05 09:51 Page 1 Independent women Independent women The story of women’s activism in East Timor with comparative chapters on Cambodia, Mozambique and Namibia IndependentIndependent This book tells the story of how East Timorese women activists mobilised against a patriarchal society and claimed their right to participate in their new independent and democratic nation. Drawing on personal research and extensive interviews with women activists in East Timor, the authors explore the history and contribution womenwomen of the East Timorese women’s movement during and after the TheThe storystory ofof women’swomen’s activismactivism inin EastEast TimorTimor Indonesian occupation. They examine the growing influence of the activism in East Timor The story of women’s women’s movement as the country moved into independence, and IrenaIrena CristalisCristalis andand CatherineCatherine ScottScott analyse the key challenges facing East Timorese women in their ongoing quest for rights and greater political participation. The book includes comparative chapters by expert guest authors on the lessons to be drawn from women’s experiences in Cambodia, Mozambique and Namibia – countries which have also experienced the transition from an extended period of conflict to eventual independence. Independent women dispels the myth that women working for women’s advancement in East Timor are agents of a foreign or western agenda. It shows that the women of East Timor are women of courage who, on the long road to independence, have found the strength to stand up for their rights and play their part in the shaping of their country. Cristalis and Catherine Scott Irena ‘Independent women is a profound testimony to the unique character of East Timorese women and to their resolve and courage in the long process of struggle for the liberation of their country and now their own liberation’ – Olandina Caeiro Catholic Institute for International Relations CIIR is an international charity working for sustainable development and the eradication of poverty £11.95 independentwomen.QXD 26/9/05 09:32 Page i Independent women The story of women’s activism in East Timor Irena Cristalis and Catherine Scott with contributions from Ximena Andrade, Isabel Casimiro, Ruth Jacobson, Caroline Roseveare and Brigitte Sonnois independentwomen.QXD 26/9/05 09:32 Page ii Published 2005 by the Catholic Institute for International Relations Unit 3, Canonbury Yard, 190a New North Road London N1 7BJ, UK www.ciir.org © Irena Cristalis and Catherine Scott 2005 Chapter 7 © Isabel Casimiro, Ximena Andrade and Ruth Jacobson Chapter 8 © Caroline Roseveare Chapter 9 © Brigitte Sonnois Irena Cristalis and Catherine Scott assert their right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the authors of this work ISBN 1 85287 317 5 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library CIIR is registered in the UK as a charity (number 294329) and a company (number 2002500) Design: Twenty-Five Educational Print: APG (APG holds ISO14001 accreditation for International Environmental Standards) Cover picture: Bilesse, a Falintil fighter, with her son Agildo (photo Irena Cristalis) independentwomen.QXD 26/9/05 09:32 Page iii Contents Abbreviations ..................................................................................v Acknowledgements ......................................................................vii Foreword ........................................................................................ix Introduction ....................................................................................1 1 Women’s traditional roles ......................................................11 2 War and resistance ..................................................................27 3 The 1990s: political and social movements ..........................45 4 Faith and women’s empowerment ........................................59 5 The transition to independence ............................................73 6 Violence against women ........................................................91 7 Mozambique: war, peace and women’s movements ........105 8 Namibia: liberation, politics and women’s rights ..............123 9 Cambodia: conflict, reconstruction and women’s organisations ........................................................141 10 Women beyond independence: the challenges ahead ......157 Appendices ..................................................................................175 Bibliography ................................................................................191 Authors and contributors ..........................................................198 independentwomen.QXD 26/9/05 09:32 Page iv This book is dedicated to East Timorese women victims of violence and East Timorese women peacemakers and activists independentwomen.QXD 26/9/05 09:32 Page v Abbreviations See also appendix 1 for a glossary of terms on gender issues and women’s rights. CAVR Comissão de Acolhimento, Verdade e Reconciliação – Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women CNRM Conselho Nacional da Resistência Maubere – National Council of Maubere Resistance CNRT Conselho Nacional da Resistência Timorense – National Council of Timorese Resistance DK Democratic Kampuchea ET-Wave East Timorese Movement Against Violence Towards Women and Children Falintil Forças Armadas de Libertação Nacional de Timor Leste – Armed Forces for the National Liberation of East Timor Fokupers Forum Komunikasi Untuk Perempuan Lorosae – East Timorese Women’s Communications Forum Frelimo Frente de Libertação de Moçambique – Mozambican Liberation Front Fretilin Frente Revolucionária de Timor Leste Independente – Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor Funcinpec Front Uni National pour un Cambodge Indépendant, Neutre, Pacifique et Coopératif (United National Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful and Cooperative Cambodia) GFFTL Grupo Feto Foinsae Timor Lorosae – East Timor Students Women’s Group Impettu Ikatan Mahasiswa dan Pejalar Timor Timur – East Timor Student Association (based in Indonesia) InterFET International Force for East Timor IRC International Rescue Committee KPNLF Khmer People’s National Liberation Front Abbreviations v independentwomen.QXD 26/9/05 09:32 Page vi KWA Khmer Women’s Association NGO Non-governmental organisation NWV Namibia Women’s Voice OMM Organização da Mulher Moçambicana – Organisation of Mozambican Women OMT Organização da Mulher Timorense – Organisation of Timorese Women OPE Office for the Promotion of Equality OPMT Organização da Popular da Mulher Timorense – Popular Organisation of East Timorese Women PLAN People’s Liberation Army of Namibia PRK People’s Republic of Kampuchea Rede Feto Rede Feto Timor Lorosae – the East Timorese Women’s Network Renamo Resistência Nacional Moçambicana – Mozambican National Resistance Renetil Resistência Nacional dos Estudantes de Timor Leste – National Resistance of East Timorese Students RWAK Revolutionary Women’s Association of Kampuchea SOC State of Cambodia SWAPO South West African People’s Organisation SWC SWAPO Women’s Council UDT União Democrática Timorense – Timorese Democratic Union UN United Nations Unicef United Nations Children’s Fund Unifem United Nations Development Fund for Women UNTAC United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia UNTAET United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor UNTIM Universitas Timor Timur – University of East Timor WAC Women’s Association of Cambodia vi Independent women independentwomen.QXD 26/9/05 09:32 Page vii Acknowledgements We would like to thank all those involved in researching, com- piling, writing and producing this book: Milena Pires, Kirsty Sword Gusmão, and CIIR staff who read and commented on the original outline; Ivete de Oliveira, Emily Roynestad, Deirdre Nagle, Ildefonso Guterres, Maria Antonia Velasco, Januario da Costa and Tomas Fernandes Nunes of the CIIR office in Dili, who supported us over the years that it took to put this book together. Ivete commented on the original outline and, like Emily, on the first draft. Their assistance in the many interviews we conducted was invaluable, while the other members of the team lent us their logistic and moral support; Judy El Bushra, Kathryn Robertson Marcal, Rolando Modina and Estevao Cabral for their insightful and constructive comments on the first draft; Elizabeth Traube for ther much appreciated and comprehensive advice on the anthropological section; Ruth Jacobson for her much valued encouragement and advice; Mara Stankovitch, our clearheaded editor, for her patience, guid- ance and recommendations, and Nick Sireau and Alastair Whitson of the CIIR communications department; Above all, huge thanks to James Collins, CIIR’s director of finance and administration, without whose faith in the project this book would not have been realised. Last but not least, our gratitude goes to all the East Timorese women (and one man) who generously gave us their time and their life stories: Laura Abrantes Bertha Oliveira Alves Sister Esmeralda Rego de Jesus Araujo Marito Araujo Laura Menezes Lopez Belo Mana Bisoi Olandina Caeiro Teresa Cardoso Etelvista da Costa Acknowledgments vii independentwomen.QXD 26/9/05 09:32 Page viii Maria Lourdes Martins Cruz Maria Dias Maria Domingas Fernandes Bela Galhos Sister Guilhermina Marcal Cipriana Pereira Manuela Pereira Maia Reis Maria Madalena dos Santos Fatima Florentina Smith