The Solidarity Conference blog
25 Jan 2010

Friday 29th of January - Day 5

The last conference day was divided into two long sessions. We started the day with the final of the four communication sessions. During the previous three we laid the foundation for communication and solidarity cross borders, and we all felt ready for a more practical session. During the three and a half hours we created two platforms of communication. The first one is an internal forum for the Student Peace Prize Laureates located on the homepage of the Student Peace Prize. The other platform is a blog created by SAIH and the Student Peace Prize which will function as a meeting place for students struggling for student- and human rights world wide. We have agreed upon a time schedule for blogging and our aim is that the blog will grow and expand. By using our networks we can create a platform for information and solidarity.

After lunch we had our final session of the Student Solidarity Conference 2010. This was the plenary session When the government is the opressor. Each of the Laureates had a short presentation of their perspective on the theme and afterwards six of the ten Laureate representatives formed a panel and answered questions from the MC of the plenary session, Director of the Student Peace Prize secreteriat Eirik Vikum, as well as questions from the audience. We had a good discussion and the Laureates reflected upon different interesting issues.

Towards the end of the session the Dili declaration was presented by Antero Benedito da Silva and other local timorese. The declaration calls for an international solidarity movement, focusing on the issues the Laureates faces in their oppressive countries. The declaration is especially focused upon the situation in Western-Sahara and Burma, and was signed by the Student Peace Prize organizers, the Student Peace Prize Laureates and local timorese students and activists. It was a Inspiring and motivating conclusion of a fantastic week.

-Jonas Sønnesyn

Thursday 28th of January - Day 4

After the sessions on Wednesday we were invited to dinner at the Norwegian embassy office in Timor-Leste. Since arriving in Dili, and during the planning of the conference, we have had a lot of contact with the Norwegian office in Dili. The office is a part of the Jakarta embassy in Indonesia, and is headed by Hans Peter Christophersen. Among the guests at the dinner was the Cuban ambassador to Timor-Leste, the Norwegian ambassador to Indonesia, Eivind Homme, Bishop Gunnar Staalsett, the minister of education in Timor-Leste and the opposition leader which many believe will be the next president of Timor-Leste. The Laureates got the opportunity to share their histories to the guests and create valuable networks. The hospitality of the Norwegian office is highly appreciated, both by us as organizers, but also by the Laureates

On Thursday morning we were proud to present Jose Ramos-Horta, current president of Timor Leste and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate of 2006, to our Laureates. He spent one and a half hour together with us and shared histories from his time as a central figure in the Timorese resistant movement against the Indonesian occupation. He also talked about his role as a President of a young nation trying to cope with a difficult past, both psychologically and physically. At the end he answered questions from the Laureates regarding their own countries situation, especially Burma and Western-Sahara. Timor-Leste and president Horta are actively supporting the Western Saharawees demand for self determination and the Burmese wish for a new and democratic regime.

-The Student Peace Prize is important in recognizing the youth, the president said. The Laureates of the Student Peace Prize will be the future leaders of their respective conuntries.

He explained some of the complex nature of international relations, as well as the challenges national leaders meet regarding diplomacy. We were honored to have him with us during the conference.

After Hortas session we were invited to the parliament were we got a tour and met with various MPs including the president of the parliament and the opposition leader. Once again the Laureates got to present their history to influential politicians, and were able to lobby their cause. The media was present and interviewed some of the Student Peace Prize organizers as well as the Laureates. During our stay here we have gotten good media coverage and have appeared both on national television and in the newspapers. Information sharing is a central part of the Laureates work, and the good media coverage by the Timorese media has been unexpected – but much appreciated.

-Jonas Sønnesyn

Wednesday 27th of January - Day 3

We started the day with the session Human rights, a global responsibility? The session was facilitated by UNMITs human rights and transitional justice group. They had a brief presentation of the definitions of human rights and how they are implemented, as well as a presentation of how they work with human rights in Timor-Leste. Towards the end of the session we divided into groups of four were we discussed how human rights breaches should be dealt with in relation to bringing justice to those who have been victimized. Do we need justice, or should we just forget. If justice is needed, how do we deliver it?

The second session of the day was ACEUs session. They gave a brief introduction to the governmental history of Colombia since the 1940s and the development into the neoliberal regime of president Uribe. They explained the difficulties for university students and how the government interfers with the universities and use the military against the illegal student organizations.

After lunch ABFSU facilitated the session Boycotting the 2010 election and looking for regional peace in the future. They presented the history of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions wich was founded by General Aung San, the father of Aung San Su Kyi. After the military coup in the mid 1960s by the SDPC all students unions became illegal and ABFSU had to go under ground, which they have been since. During 2010 there will be an election in Burma, but because of the constitution of 2008 there is no real hope of a fair and democratic election. ABFSU therefore opts to boycott an election that will only legitimize the military regime in the country.

The last session of the day was the second of the four communication workshops. In this session we tried to identify the Laureates expectations of the conference and what results they want to achieve during our five days together. Everyone expressed a wish to strengthen the cooperation and communication between eachother, and hoped that by the end of the conference we have created good structures for communication, information and solidarity.

-Jonas Sønnesyn

Tuesday 26th of January - Day 2

This day contained four different sessions. We started with Charm Tong and Charm Lengs session; mobilizing for political and social change in Burma. Various guests from Timor-Leste attended the session which focused upon the history of Burma after the military Junta gained power in 1962. They also talked about other countries economicall interest in Burma and how the international community fail by continually legitimizing the military regime. After the session an interesting round of questions followed.

The next session was the first of four communication workshops during the conference. In these sessions we where supposed to define our lines of communications and identify the laureates needs. In the the first of these session we started on a very basic level. Why are we here and do we need to stay in touch? We had a good and visionary session that we will continue in the next session.

After lunch the Norwegian ministry of foreign affairs special envoy to Timor-Leste, Gunnar Stålsett facilitated the session Justice, Truth and Reconciliation. Gunnar Stålsett has been involved in Timor-Leste for a long time, especially since 2006, after the internal crisis in Timor-Leste, when he was asked by the Timorese president, Jose Ramos-Horta to facilitate dialogue between Timorese leaders concerning justice, truth and dialogue. In this dialogue Stålsett aimes to make the timorese deal with its past, and not forget it. During the session he also commented on the Laureates issues and home countries such as Burma and Zimbabwe.

We wrapped up the day with a trip to the beach near the statue of Jesus outside of Dili. Most of us took a bath in the ocean, and some of us had a short session of Tai Chi with Antero Benedito da Silva as the instructor.

-Jonas Sønnesyn

Monday 25th of January - The Open day

This was the first official day of the Student Solidarity Conference 2010. The Laureates arriwed at saturday, and we have had various program since then. The open day contained three sessions. We started with the opening ceremony. The ceremony included speeches from project leader of the Student Solidarity Conference 2010, Sanna Brattland, the director of the Student Peace Prize secreteriat, Eirik Vikum and the rector of the national university of Timor-Leste, Benjamin de Corte-Real.

The speeches focused upon student solidarity, the Student Peace Prize and the Student Peace Prize laureates as well as linkages between students from Norway and Students from Timor-Leste. We also had a cultural performance by a local dance group calle Saint Antonio. The Laureates got the chance to present themselves and their cause to the students of Timor-Leste as well as prominent guests such as the Norwegian ambassador to Timor Leste, Hans Peter Christophersen, the ambassador from Cuba and various parliament members from Timor-Leste.

The next session was the session of SAIH and the representative from Rabab Amidane, Basiri Mohamed. Antero Benedito da Silva was also involved in this session. SAIH presented their organization and talked about student solidarity from a practical point of view. Basiri Mohamed presented the history of the conflict in Western-sahara, while da Silva made a comparison of the situations in Timor-Leste and Western-Sahara which is very much alike.

We ended the day with a session facilitated by the UNDP which talked about conflict prevention. In this session we got a heated discussion between local Timorese students and the UNDP. Many of the timorese is unsatisfied with the way the UNDP runs their organization in Timor-Leste, and the session became quite interesting, even though it did not develop the way we envisioned it to be.

It was a great first day, and hopefully one of many.

-Jonas Sønnesyn