Local NGOs in national development: The case of East Timor

There were also a number of HAK’s activities which required an international
response, for example, the issue of the establishment of an International Tribunal, the
question of the maritime boundaries and distribution of the benefits of resource
exploitation in the Timor Sea, and the role of international organisations in East Timor.
In relation to the international issues, HAK continued its major coordination role for
the Alliance on the International Tribunal; it ran a 12-month campaign plan which
involved a range of activities at the local level with victims and their families, and at
the international level through bodies such as the UN Commission on Human Rights.
In 2004, for example, in conjunction with the Empowerment Division, they held a
workshop in Oecusse with community leaders, police, and government representatives
about the actual process of seeking justice, and the political realities facing the
International Tribunal campaign, bearing in mind broad national interests, the
Indonesia-East Timor border question and other factors. The campaign was finding
progress difficult and was considering new strategies, such as a ‘Popular Tribunal’.
HAK also worked with other NGOs on the campaign about maritime boundaries in the
Timor Sea between Australia and Timor-Leste, and distribution of the benefits of the
oil and gas reserves, making statements and comments about the issue. 236 In early 2004
one of HAK’s members had joined a joint NGO study tour looking at the impact of
natural resource industry in Nigeria, organised through the NGO La’o Hamutuk. The
campaign was also building links with Australian civil and political society. 237
Legal Aid
By this stage the Legal Aid Division no longer took on all the cases which came to
HAK, but only those it considered to be strategic for policy advocacy. Strategic cases
might involve the police as suspects, or be related to labour issues, the environment or
domestic violence. For example, in the six-month period January-June 2004, HAK was
consulted about 40 cases, many of which it referred to alternative processes, rather than
litigation. There were 22 cases where HAK accompanied the complainant(s) to meet
236 Respondent 63
237 For Nigeria, see La’o Hamutuk Bulletin Vol 5, No 1, January 2004 p.11. Seven East Timorese NGO
representatives went to Nigeria from 11-28 January 2004. For Australia, the Timor Sea Justice
Campaign in Melbourne had strong links with the network of NGOs in Dili and I was present in Dili
when a group of Australian students visited on one occasion (personal observation).
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