Submarine oil and gas reserves in what is known as the Timor Gap has been an issue since the Portugese controlled Timor Leste, and is believed to be behind the invasion of Timor Leste by Indonesia in 1975. The legality of agreements between Australia and Indonesia over the sharing of resources in the Timor Sea have been questioned since Timorese independence was achieved in 1999.

The Australian government refused to UN rulings on the sea boundaries. In 2016 Timor Leste launched proceedings for compulsory conciliation.

Australia and Timor Leste are currently negotiating in thee Conciliation Commission for permanent maritime boundaries, but given Australia's record, supporters of Timor Leste are not confident of a fair outcome for Timor, and the Commision itself says the process will be 'protracted'.

A delegation of the Timor Sea Justice Alliance approached Senators on June 13 to raise the issue in Parliament, and if a fair decision is not arrived at by the time of the Commission's deadline on September 17, to initiate a Senate enquiry.

(Graphic; Foreign Minister Gareth Evans celebrates the now contested Timor Gap 'treaty' with Indonesia's Ali Alitas with champagne in 1989)

Rigoberto Escalante entreviste una policia, quien esta quejando de falta de uniformes, falta de seguridad de trabajo, con la Policia Nacional de El Salvador.

Rigoberto habla con las mujeres en al marcha contra la vilencia en San Salvador, Dic. 2014

Pandilleros de El Salvador, Rafael, Part 2. 

Rafael habla sobre las pandillas de El 
Salvador y la tregua corriente.

Rafael, pandillero habla sobre la tregua de las pandillas.

Joscelyn, Vice Presidenta del sindicato de mujeres trabajadores de sexo.

223 Mb 128kbps stereo 24 minutes.

Journalist Julie Webb tells us about the impact of the Israeli blockade of Gaza and the effects of the latest breaking of the cease-fire, aborting the Cairo truce negotiations.

30 minutes, 18 Mb. Mono.

Steven, of the Nicaraguan tortillaconsal web site explains why the Latin American countries are exceptional in providing diplomatic, and if possible, material support to the struggle of the Palestinian people.

Hermelinda, una chavala cuando la contra ataco la cooperativa de Lagartillo, ya es una profesora en la nueva escuela, y tambien de espanol para estudiantes internacionales quienes vienen para apprender y conocer la vida campesina en la communidad. Hermelinda habla de los logros de la communidad en desafio a los intentos de derrotarla.

Revisiting a Nicaraguan cooperative community where I worked in the 1980s I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the place, and the advances of the community. Luis talks about the changes.

Julie Webb, reporting from the Middle East for the last three years tells us what it is like to be close to the Israeli 'border' and to have to care for the victims of Israeli targeting of civilians  - like a hospital where only severely disabled people remain.

Toni Solo walks us through the cooperative school he has founded on the outskirts of Esteli.

Toni Solo walks us through the cooperative school he has founded on the outskirts of Esteli.

Toni Solo walks us through the cooperative school he has founded on the outskirts of Esteli.

Toni Solo walks us through the cooperative school he has founded on the outskirts of Esteli.

Toni Solo walks us through the cooperative school he has founded on the outskirts of Esteli.

Paul Baker, living in Nicaragua for the past 20 years recalls the long trajectory that brought him there  - from first encounters with refugees from Pinochet's Chile in the early 1970s, to the Peace March through Central America in the 1980s, working with Salvadoran refugees, and most recently a memorial tour for Chilean songwriter Victor Jara, with Victor's widow, Joan Jara.

Damian talks about the trajectory of the FMLN under the presidency of Salvador Sanchez Ceren

Marcos habla de sus recuerdos como militante y combatiente del Frente. Conocio mucha gente bien reconocida por su participacion y presencia en la lucha, incluso Roque Dalton, y Salvador Sanchez Ceren, ahora Presidente de El Salvador.

23 Mb  18 minutes

Carl and Carolyne are in El Salvador with the 70 person strong CISPES delegation of observers for the 2014 elections in El Salvador. Carl has been with CISPES almost since its inception over twenty years ago. Carolyne is part of a new generation that sees the work of CISPES as a shared pathway between cultures and generations.

The history of El Salvador has been narrated as a history of violence. Nothing in that particular narrative includes the history of US intervention, the history of the US training of the worst perpetrators of violence, the agenda that agencies within the US Government see as the supervening  business interests that require the reorganization of the 'State' to their own requirements.  CISPES has succeeded in changing the course of the JUggernaut.

CISPES, Carl, and Carolyne demonstrate just how false that narrative is. And they tell us now, just how they did it. Can their example follow ?

(CISPES has called what amounts to an apology from the former US Ambassador to El Salvador)

Watch El Salvador, and watch with care

The 'voice' of clandestine radio Venceremos, Mariposa, tells us how she was recruited to be the female announcer for the FMLN, and her life in the mountains, moving around with the portable transmitter to avoid discovery by government troops.

Mariposa, 'la voz' del radio clandestino 'Venceremos' explica como fue reclutada.

Mariposa talks about how she joined the FMLN guerillas and became involved with the clandestine guerilla radio stations in the mountains of El Salvador.

Mariposa habla sobre su vida como guerillera y locatura de los radios clandestinos de la guerilla del FMLN en las montanas de El Salvador.

Treinte anos despues, Mariposa recuerda su desarollo como activista en los dias cuando se formo el Frente Farabundo Marti de Liberacion Nacional. (FMLN)

Toni Solo walks us through the cooperative school he has founded in Nicaragua on the outskirts of Esteli.

Toni Solo walks us through the cooperative school he has founded on the outskirts of Esteli.

Entrevista con una mujer votante el dia de las elecciones en Honduras.

I began by asking Annie if she had any doubts that the election results in Honduras were fraudulent. She was adamant thst they were. What did this mean for Honduras in the near future?

Juan Barahona entrevistado por periodista veterano, Dick Emanuellson, despues de poner su voto en la manana de Noviembre 24.

6Mb  4 Minutes

Election obsdervers interviewed at ta booth share their initial impressions mid morning on the day. An observer from the European Union team, and two from the US, representing the Union movement.

La noche de viernes Noviembre 29 salio la dirigencia del LIBRE con las pruebas del fraude en las elecciones  del 24. Despues la presentacion, Xiomara explico las medidas y acciones que LIBRE iba tomar.

Observadores que habian salido al campo antes el dia de las elecciones hablan de como fueron agregidos y amenazados por los autoridades. qui estan sus testimonios.

En la conferencia de prensa en la sede de COFADEH, Berta Oliva hace una declaracion.

Observadores y Berta Caceres hablan de la ingerencia de los militares, policia, y officiales en la communidad del Rio Blanco, incluso la detencion de observadores internacionales.

OBservadores contestan las preguntas de la prensa en la sede de COFADEH

Conferencia de prensa despues las elecciones, observadores hablan de los irregularidades y el intimidaciones de que fueron testigos.

Observadores dan repuestas a las preguntas de los periodistas, sobre  sus experiencias y reportajes.

Los observadores y delegados se presentan en la oficina de los derechos humanos COFADEH

Los sentimientos de unas activistas del LIBRE en preparacion para las elecciones en el Parque Central de Tegucigalpa, y una encuesta de la gente tranquilamente observando.

Los sentimientos de unas activistas del LIBRE en preparacion para las elecciones en el Parque Central de Tegucigalpa, y una encuesta de la gente tranquilamente observando.

(Foto, Una conferencia de prensa con observadores y victimas de un desalojo y el asesinato de familiares, unos pocos dias antes la fecha de las elecciones)

Despues una conferencia de prensa con un equipo de observadores, hablando del ambiente de intimidacion en Honduras en los dias y semanas antes las elecciones de Noviembre 24, un periodista del Radio Globo me conto sus proprios experiencias como periodista, trabajando en Honduras.

At a press conference in the capital of Honduras and indigenous Canadian enumertes abuses against Honduras´indigenous people that escalated in the days leading up to the elections on November 24 2013

Dirigente de COPINH (Representando los Derechos Humanos de los pueblos  Indigenes de Honduras), Berta Caceres es bajo detencion domicilio. Sin embargo, sigue hablando fuertemente sobre los derechos del pueblo indigena que estan sufriendo una represion mas fuerte que nunca en los dias antes las elecciones en Honduras.

15 Mb. 20 minutes

Karen Spring is a journalist and researcher based in Honduras. She was present during the 2009 coup and is currently working out of the main human rights office in Honduras (COFEDAH). An expert observer of Honduran politics, she gives her assessment of what is happening in the lead up to the Honduras'elections, behind the facade presented to the rest of the world.

Janette describes her experience of life in a Zapatista community, with a strong emphasis on the role of women.

A Mexican photojournalist who covered the zapatista uprising of January 1 1994 describes his experience of a Zapatista community 18 years later.

Mariposa talks about her life in Nicaragua and her love for that country, in spite of having been a participant in the Salvadoran revolutionary process.

Mariposa habla sobre los razones que ella vive casi en exilio en Nicaragua, su respeto y amor por el pais, aunque todavia participa en los procesos politicos de El Salvador.

Mariposa comments on the current debate in El Salvador and other countries in the region of Central America about the issue of ím punity' - or amnesty for those known to be guilty of war crimes and gross human rights violations that took place during the 12 year civil war in El Salvador.

Mariposa habla sobre 'la impunidad' para los militares y otros culpable de violaciones de los derechos humanos y crimenes de guerra (masacres y torturas). Ahora en El Salvador hay un fuerte debate sobre la impunidad y los atentos de controlar los archivos de Tutela Legal, la oficina establecido por el asesinado arzobispado Arnulfo Romero y la Igesia Catolica, para invesigar los violaciones de los derechos humanos de los Salvadorenos.

13MB 18 mins. estereo

Rodolfo Pacheco, un maestro Mexicano explica el como y el porque de las protestas de los maestros. LOs maestros han occupado el Zocalo desde hace 5 meses protestando una ley de 'Reforma Educativa'. Los maestro dicen que es mas una ley de reforma laboral porque obliga a los maestros a someterse a una evaluacion para seguir trabajando en su profesion.

En la segunda semana de Septiembre se pasaron la ley, y los maestros cerraron el centro de Ciudad Mexico, y hubo enfrentamientos con la policia. El viernes fueron desalojados del Zocalo. Los maestros se han ubicado en otros lugares, y siguen con sus desfiles.

Rudolfo Pacheco, a Mexican Philosophy teacher explains the whys and wherefores of the Mexican teachers' protests. The teachers have occupied the Zocalo for over 5 months in protest against 'Educational Reform' legislation, claiming that it is more about labor reform than educational reform, because it requires the teachers to undergo periodic evaluation to continue working in their profession.

In the second week of September the legislation was passed, and the teachers shut down the centre of Mexico City with confrontations with the police. On Friday they were evicted from the Zocalo and they have relocated to other public locations in the city, and are continuing with their protest marches.

8Mb mono 14 minutes

Second part of an interview with Toni Solo, based in Nicaragua. In the context of the legal and international rights controversies generated by Snowden, Assange, the trials of Guatemalan ex-President Rios Montt for war crimes, and the Canadian mining company Hudbay for Human rights violations, the meeting of the Latin American ALBA countries in Ecuador this week, to discuss human rights issues takes on significant geopolitical weight.

4Mb. Mono. 7 mintes

First part of an interview with Toni Solo, based in Nicaragua. In the context of the legal and international rights controversies generated by Snowden, Assange, the trials of Guatemalan ex-President Rios Montt for war crimes, and the Canadian mining company Hudbay for Human rights violations, the meeting of the Latin American ALBA countries in Ecuador this week, to discuss human rights issues takes on significant geopolitical weight.

28 Mb. 48 minutes, mono

Toni Dolo reports from Nicaragua. Why whistleblower Snowden would want to go there , how Venezuela is sending US State Secretary John Kerry bonkers, and why Latin American countries (and some in the Caribbean) are standing up for their rights. Musical breaks from David Rovic's Prism album. 

http://davidrovics.bandcamp.com/album/into-a-prism

22MB. mono 24 minutes

Toni Solo from Nicaragua talks about some of the environmental and geopolitical issues at stake in the announcement by the Nicaraguan government of an agreement with a Hong Kong based Chinese company to go ahead with feasability studies for a massive canal project connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Caribbean coast through largely uninhabited jungle areas of Nicaragua.

9Mb. 13 minutes

Toni Solo from Nicaragua talks about some of the environmental and geopolitical issues at stake in the announcement by the Nicaraguan government of an agreement with a Hong Kong based Chinese company to go ahead with feasability studies for a massive canal project connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Caribbean coast through largely uninhabited jungle areas of Nicaragua.

19.2 Mb 21 minutes Stereo mp3

Grahame Russel is a Canadian lawyer who works with Rights Action (http://rightsaction.org). He was in Guatemala as an observer for the trial of Rios Efrain Montt who is accused of being responsible for the genocide of over 100 thousand Mayan indigenous people during his term as President in the early 1980s. Grahame makes the point that this is a ground breaking trial as it implicates the current President of Guatemala who was a major in the Guatemalan Armed Forces at the time the human rights abuses and the genocide was peaking. Alan Nairn, a journalist who filmed current President Otto Perez Molina gloating over the bodies of villagers suspected of being supporters of the guerilla forces was blocked from presenting evidence at the trial. (http://www.democracynow.org/2013/4/19/exclusive_allan_nairn_exposes_role_of)

10MB stereo 10 minutes.

Pavel Nunez Duarte, Honduras'  revolutionary musican and songwriter, of the top selling band 'Cafe Guancasco' talks to community radio about how politics informs their music. A teacher of mathematics, a student organiser, and now active in the Resistance Front of Honduras against the coup, he finds music is 'another language', his guitar 'a megaphone' to communicate the social realities of Honduras. He can't say how he 'came to be involved in politics' because it has always been part of his life. It is more a question of why he can't leave it !  A revealing interview in which even the explanation of 'Guancasco' has a social import. A 'Guancasco, he says, is a gathering , or get together of people in an indigenous community. You don't get that, in the cities but, he explains, in urban communities around the world you have 'Cafes' . Hence the name  - a blend of the modern and the traditional, the regional and the global. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRzsUAIAUxQ

46.3 Mb.  51 minutes

Jose Belo is a Timorese man who perhaps represents the highest values of journalism. Active in the Timorese resistance movement against the Indonesian occupation, he was a critical factor in enabling those few independent Australian journalists who contrived to work in Timor Leste (legendary journalists like John Martinkus, Max Stahl, and others) to gather critical information about the Indonesian occupation, and to get that information out.  He was captured and tortured by the Indonesians 7 times, continuing to work in Timor even though he had the opportunity to live in exile in Australia.

After Timorese independence he became a journalist, still maintaining a critical and independent attitude to successive governments of Timor Leste. One year he was threatened with house arrest when he accused a government minister of corruption. He is currently the editor of "Tempo Semanal", a weekly publication that is one of the most influential in the country, still attacking the government on issues of corruption and misspending of state finances. 

He was involved in the making of the film Balibo, and more recently, the subject of a more recent film ('Breaking the news') about to be released exposing the behaviour and role of some foreign journalists working in Timor Leste whose ethical and professional standards do not perhaps, match up to Jose's own.

In this interview he talks about his values as a journalist, why he became a journalist, how he became a journalist, and the values that inform his work.

Note: This is a raw, unedited sound file. The sound quality is generally adequate for reproduction, but another shortened edited and contextualised version of this interview will be posted soon.

8.2 Mb. 8 minutes 45 seconds (stereo)

Head of the PNTL (Timorese National Police), Longhuino Monteiro has been called on to resign for a series of incidents involving 'missing' weapons over several years. The most recent is the disappearance of a high powered automatic weapon, with 60 rounds of ammunition from the car of the head of Police Intelligence while it was parked outside a brothel. Longuino dismissed this as 'not a problem  - a single weapon is not a threat to public security'. But this, and other weapons that have gone missing over the years is, according to the NGO Fundasaun Mahein a flaw in the PNTL that Monteiro has not addressed.

Fundasaun Mahein (Guardian Foundation) is an NGO that evolved as a watchdog research organisation concerned with issues of public security out of the destabilising conflicts of 2006 and 2007, that involved elements of both the Timorese Police and the the Timorese Armed Forces, who at times were involved in armed conflict against each other.

16.5 Mb.  19 minutes

A small group of Australians with a long history of support for the East Timorese struggle for independence meet with the research team of the CAVR (Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation). The team is producing a book about the East Timorese struggle for independence, and the years fo the resistance struggle, but from a bottom up perspective. Rather than focus on the well known identities, leaders and personalities that have characterised many of the histories of the struggle fo the Timorese, they are focussing on the testimonies of the mass of people who supported the struggle and were often the main victims of Indonesian reprisals and repression. It will focus particularly on women, and also the solidarity movement. Four Australians recall the early years of Australian solidarity at a time when the struggle of the Timorese people was not well known or understood.

5.8 Mb. 7 minutes

A small group of Australians with a long history of support for the East Timorese struggle for independence meet with the research team of the CAVR (Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation). The team is producing a book about the East Timorese struggle for independence, and the years fo the resistance struggle, but from a bottom up perspective. Rather than focus on the well known identities, leaders and personalities that have characterised many of the histories of the struggle fo the Timorese, they are focussing on the testimonies of the mass of people who supported the struggle and were often the main victims of Indonesian reprisals and repression. It will focus particularly on women, and also the solidarity movement. Four Australians recall the early years of Australian solidarity at a time when the struggle of the Timorese people was not well known or understood.

8.5 Mb. 9 minutes 22 seconds

A small group of Australians with a long history of support for the East Timorese struggle for independence meet with the research team of the CAVR (Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation). The team is producing a book about the East Timorese struggle for independence, and the years fo the resistance struggle, but from a bottom up perspective. Rather than focus on the well known identities, leaders and personalities that have characterised many of the histories of the struggle fo the Timorese, they are focussing on the testimonies of the mass of people who supported the struggle and were often the main victims of Indonesian reprisals and repression. It will focus particularly on women, and also the solidarity movement. Four Australians recall the early years of Australian solidarity at a time when the struggle of the Timorese people was not well known or understood.

11Mb. 12 minutes 45 seconds

A small group of Australians with a long history of support for the East Timorese struggle for independence meet with the research team of the CAVR (Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation). The team is producing a book about the East Timorese struggle for independence, and the years fo the resistance struggle, but from a bottom up perspective. Rather than focus on the well known identities, leaders and personalities that have characterised many of the histories of the struggle fo the Timorese, they are focussing on the testimonies of the mass of people who supported the struggle and were often the main victims of Indonesian reprisals and repression. It will focus particularly on women, and also the solidarity movement. Four Australians recall the early years of Australian solidarity at a time when the struggle of the Timorese people was not well known or understood.

9.3 Mb. 11 minutes

A small group of Australians with a long history of support for the East Timorese struggle for independence meet with the research team of the CAVR (Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation). The team is producing a book about the East Timorese struggle for independence, and the years fo the resistance struggle, but from a bottom up perspective. Rather than focus on the well known identities, leaders and personalities that have characterised many of the histories of the struggle fo the Timorese, they are focussing on the testimonies of the mass of people who supported the struggle and were often the main victims of Indonesian reprisals and repression. It will focus particularly on women, and also the solidarity movement. Four Australians recall the early years of Australian solidarity at a time when the struggle of the Timorese people was not well known or understood.

11Mb. 14 minutes

A small group of Australians with a long history of support for the East Timorese struggle for independence meet with the research team of the CAVR (Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation). The team is producing a book about the East Timorese struggle for independence, and the years fo the resistance struggle, but from a bottom up perspective. Rather than focus on the well known identities, leaders and personalities that have characterised many of the histories of the struggle fo the Timorese, they are focussing on the testimonies of the mass of people who supported the struggle and were often the main victims of Indonesian reprisals and repression. It will focus particularly on women, and also the solidarity movement. Four Australians recall the early years of Australian solidarity at a time when the struggle of the Timorese people was virtually unkown to the general Australian public.

18 Mb. 18 minutes 40 seconds

(Tetum  -English Translation below)

17 Mb.  18 minutes 30 seconds

Tetum with English translation.

Only a few years old but with 6000 members the Federation has struggled for gains which have flowed through to the Public Service sector in general.

12.4 Mb 12 minutes 40 seconds

A press conference held by General Secretary of Fretilin, Mari Alkatiri on Monday 16 after some violent incidents following the broadcast of the CNRT General Assembly on Sunday. The CNRT had decided to exclude Fretilin from government. Fretilin was prepared for the decision, but not the provocative and offensive language in which it was couched. Many Fretilin supporters felt insulted, and reacted angrily.

The press conference was mainly in Tetum, but a short translation in English is posted below.

*Fretilin secretary general calls for CNRT’s responsibility 
*Timornewsline, July 16, 2012 

Fretilin Secretary-General Mari Alkatiri has called for Xanana Gusmao CNRT party to be responsible for violence broke out on Friday (15/7).

According to him, CNRT party’s conference had caused the weekend’s violence due to some participants of the conference openly criticized Fretilin as the country’s historic party.

“We are feeling very sad because some of the participants in the conference lack responsibility by damaging our party’s image. We do not accept it,” he said.

Mr. Alkatiri said his party had not questioned the decision which was made in the conference, but they were concerned about some of the participants who damaged the party [Fretilin] dignity.

“We do respect the result of the elections because the winning party has the right to appoint any party to form the new government as there was no party won the majority of the votes,” he said.

He also called on CNRT party to publicly apologize to the Fretilin and its followers over the open criticism made in the conference.

*President TMR calls for peace and stability 
*Radio e Televizaun de Timor-Leste, July 17, 2012 language source: Tetun

President of the Republic, Taur Matan Ruak has called for all the Timorese people to keep peace and stability during the process of establishing the new government.

The president made the comments during a meeting with the four political parties, such as CNRT, Fretilin, PD and Frenti Mudanca which had got seats in the parliament.

“Before the parliamentary election, the president and the international communities have called on the Timorese people to accept the result of the elections. But unfortunately, yesterday’s violence was not committed by the parties which lose in the elections, but those which won the elections.”

“I am concerned about such a situation; therefore I am now meeting with CNRT party’s president, Fretilin president and its secretary general. PD party’s secretary general and Frenti Mudansa’s secretary general to remind your followers,” he said.

President TMR called these political parties’ leaders to have a contact with their followers to maintain the peace and stability of the country.

16.3 Mb. 16 minutes 30 secondns

Remarks, comments and observations from some of the 160 Australian observers who came to see the East Timor elections, shortly before they return to Australia

Part 4 of 4

Charles Scheiner and Juvenal are researchers for the Lao Hamutuk ("Walking Together) NGO in Timor Leste. For many years Lao Hamatuk has been monitoring the governance of Timor Leste. Among other things, they look at how TL spends its oil revenues, which come from exporting the nonrenewable oil and gas reserves under the Timor Sea. Returns on investing the Petroleum Fund are only about one-tenth of the royalties and revenues paid by oil companies. As the oil and gas reserves are depleted, and oil revenues fall, investment returns will not be nearly enough to sustaining TL's state spending.At the time of the 2012 general elections they are particularly critical of the government of the past five years, and concerned that the incoming government review its spending priorities.

The Lao Hamatuk website can be found at http://www.laohamutuk.org/

6.02 Mb.  8minutes

Part three of three

Charles Scheiner and Juvenal are researchers for the Lao Hamutuk ("Walking Together) NGO in Timor Leste. For many years Lao Hamatuk has been monitoring the governance of Timor Leste. Among other things, they look at how TL spends its oil revenues, which come from exporting the nonrenewable oil and gas reserves under the Timor Sea. Returns on investing the Petroleum Fund are only about one-tenth of the royalties and revenues paid by oil companies. As the oil and gas reserves are depleted, and oil revenues fall, investment returns will not be nearly enough to sustaining TL's state spending.At the time of the 2012 general elections they are particularly critical of the government of the past five years, and concerned that the incoming government review its spending priorities.

The Lao Hamatuk website can be found at http://www.laohamutuk.org/

5.2 Mb.  5 minutes 30 seconds

Part two of three

Charles Scheiner and Juvenal are researchers for the Lao Hamutuk ("Walking Together) NGO in Timor Leste. For many years Lao Hamatuk has been monitoring the governance of Timor Leste. Among other things, they look at how TL spends its oil revenues, which come from exporting the nonrenewable oil and gas reserves under the Timor Sea. Returns on investing the Petroleum Fund are only about one-tenth of the royalties and revenues paid by oil companies. As the oil and gas reserves are depleted, and oil revenues fall, investment returns will not be nearly enough to sustaining TL's state spending. For more details, seehttp://laohamutuk.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-timor-leste-got-ten-billion-dollars.html .

At the time of the 2012 general elections they are particularly critical of the government of the past five years, and concerned that the incoming government review its spending priorities.

The Lao Hamatuk website can be found at http://www.laohamutuk.org/

Part one of three

Charles Scheiner and Juvenal are researchers for the Lao Hamutuk ("Walking Together) NGO in Timor Leste. For many years Lao Hamatuk has been monitoring the governance of Timor Leste. Among other things, they look at how TL spends its oil revenues, which come from exporting the nonrenewable oil and gas reserves under the Timor Sea. Returns on investing the Petroleum Fund are only about one-tenth of the royalties and revenues paid by oil companies. As the oil and gas reserves are depleted, and oil revenues fall, investment returns will not be nearly enough to sustaining TL's state spending. For more details, seehttp://laohamutuk.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-timor-leste-got-ten-billion-dollars.html .

At the time of the 2012 general elections they are particularly critical of the government of the past five years, and concerned that the incoming government review its spending priorities.

The Lao Hamatuk website can be found at http://www.laohamutuk.org/

7.3 Mb Stereo 11 minutes 7 seconds

Three days after the 2012 general election results it was still unclear how the new government would be formed. Neither of the two major parties had a clear majority. The governing CNRT could either form a coalition government with the two minor parties, or a government of National Unity with Fretilin. Speculation was rife. At this time Mari Alkatiri, the General Secretary of Fretilin granted an exclusive interview with an Australian media team, where he referred to the events of 2006 that led to the destabilisation of his government and forced his resignation from the position of Prime Minister.

7.5 Mb. 9 minutes 21 seconds

Bob Boughton was in Timor Leste to observe the elections. At the time of the interview it was uncertain whether the former CNRT government (which obtained the highest vote, but not an absolute majority) would create a coalition with the Democratic Party (with several of its Ministers under investigation for corruption), or form a Government of National Unity with the Fretilin Party.

While the interview was taking the place the CNRT was holding a televised Assembly. At the end of the day it recommended against forming a government with Fretilin. It is expected that Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao will ratify that decision,but not entirely certain; but a new government cannot be declared until the President, Tau Matan Ruak returns from a trip to Mozambique.

8Mb. 8 minutes.

Bob Boughton, Associate Professor at the University of New England has been working on education programs in Timor Leste. He was impressed with the work of the Cuban literacy brigades and succeeded in bringing a Cuban educator to an Aboriginal community in Willcania. The pilot project has thus far proved to be eminently successful, and could be applied to other remote Aboriginal communities.

15.5 Mb stereo 21 minutes

East Timor expert Jim Dunn discusses the election prospects of the Fretilin party next July. East Timorese politics is best understood by looking at the historic role of Fretilin as the political party which declared East Timor's independence in 1975, the event which triggered the illegal Indonesian invasion of 1975, and its role in the resistance movement against the Indonesian occupation through the 1970s and beyond. Jim details this history, drawing on his own experience and knowledge of the key figures involved.

10.3 Mb. mono 23 minutes 44 seconds

Independent documentary film maker David Bradbury made a big impact on the English speaking world with his documentary about the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua, released in 1984. The centrepiece of this powerful documentary was a meeting with the last surviving founding member of the Sandinista National Liberation Front, Tomas Borge.

When Tomas Borge died at the age of 81, a few hours before Mayday, 2012, David shared some of his memories of the man with community radio, and the story of how his documentary "Nicaragua, No Pasaran" came to be made.

(More about David and his work can be found at his website http://frontlinefilms.com.au)

18.5 Mb Stereo CBR 192kbps. 14 minutes.

Jose Texeira, Fretilin Parliamentarian and member of the Central Committee of Fretiliin comments on te upcoming East Timorese Elections.

There are over a dozen candidates for the Presidential elections in East Timor coming up in March. Fretilin candidate, former resistance leader and Fretilin organiser looks like the strongest candidate to challenge the incumbent Jose Ramos Horta. But with a wide range of candidates, some with a strong personal following, a run off between Horta and Lu'Olo could be unpredictable.

15.2  25 minutes

Toni Solo, (http://tortillaconsal.com) entrevista una dirigente del FNRP de Honduras y candidata del nuevo partido que se formo para representar al Frente. 

11.4 Mb. 17 minutes 10 seconds

Toni Solo, host of http://tortillaconsal.com continues his analysis of the Nicaraguan elections and the landslide victory of the Sandinista Front looking at what this means for the region, and what it will mean for the Nicaraguan people in the future.

6:65Mb. 12 minutes 33seconds

Toni Solo, host of http://tortillaconsal.com calls from Nicaragua to talk about the landslide electoral victory of the Sandinista Front. Much to the chagrin of the neo-liberal oriented opposition parties, the social programs of the Sandinista Front has one the respect of the people.

33Mb mono 30 minutes

Corrina Grace is visiting Australia after five years working on aid projects in Guatemala. An engineer by profession she is passionate about appropriate technologies and sustainability. She emphasises that there is a high level of consciousness in the underprivileged communities of Guatemala of climate change and the Global financial crisis. It is no longer a topic for debate, but critical issues to which they are already taking steps to adapt.

With her is a team of six young Guatemalans who are touring Australia to learn techniques and methods of sustainable technologies and permaculture.

Corrina's web site can be found here:

http://projectseres.org/

6.3Mb 256kbps. stereo. 13 minutes.

Interview with student spokesperson for the Chilean student movement that is sending a shockwave through Latin American society with its determined resistance to the privatisation of the education system.

Entrevista con un vocero de los estudiantes en resistiencia a la privitisacion de educacion en Chile, y America latina.

29 Mb. 128kbps. stereo. 31 mins 36 seconds.

Victor Marillanca was one of the first wave of Latin American refugees arriving in Australia to escape the US promoted 'dirty wasr' in Latin America. He describes graphically his experience of the days of the coup against Salvador Allende in Chile on September 11 1973. A tireless worker on community radio in Australia he presents his view of the student uprising happening in Chile at this time, the role of the media, and how and why it is happening.

24.5 Mb mono. 17 minutes, 48 secondes

(Note, there is some noise interference about two thirds of the way into the interview0

Former Guatemalan General Otto Perez Molina was in Washington last May seeking approval and support for his Presidential aspirations. He is expected to win the Guatemalan elections scheduled for September this year. Perez Molina is a graduate of the US “School of the Americas” Military Academy.

He was also the head of the notorious Guatemalan D2 Intelligence Unit that was responsible for the disappearances and torture of thousands during the 1980s and 1990s ‘counterinsurgency campaigns’ in Guatemala, during which over 200,000 mainly indigenous people were massacred.

US citizen Human Rights lawyer Jennifer Harbury whose Guatemalan husband was one of the victims of the D2 intelligence unit, is a co-signatory of a document filed with the UN rapporteur Torture calling for Perez Molina to be put on trial for war crimes.

Jennifer has spent the last twenty years accumulating evidence that Perez Molina and others were not only complicit in abduction, torture, and genocide, but that the CIA had illegally withheld documents which demonstrated its complicity in these acts.

Jennifer is seeking an end to the impunity of those responsible for gross human rights violations through the Guatemalan legal system and the United Nations. But before discussing the “document of allegation” presently before the UN rapporteur, I asked her if she had had recourse through the US legal system.

Jennifer has published a book about her experience recently, "Truth, Torture and the American Way" and interviews, documentation and links to supporting material on YouTube can be found on http://rigtsaction.org

Un Escuadron de diez,enmascardos  llegaron a la casa del periodista Hondureno, y dirigente del Radio Uno, para secuestrarlo y intimidar su familia. Aqui una entrevista que presenta la situacion en Honduras, dominado por un regimen post-golpista que niega los derechos humanos, fundamental, de un pueblo muy sufrido. Arnulfo tiene una historia de un radio communiatrio, independiente en su periodismo, y perseguido fuertemente por un 'gobierno' que no soporta ni tolera una punta de vista independiente.

8.72 Mb. 10 minutes 12 seconds

(Interview with English language voiceover)

Union leader Jorge Max Zavala Galeano talks about the second day of a national uprising in Honduras against the Post-coup regime of Pofirio ('Pepe') Lobos. Police have started using live ammunition against peaceful protestors who have succeeded in closing down much of the country, as a response to the intransigence of the regime in meeting the just claims of teachers who have been out on strike for over a week and who have met with brutal repression.
Students and parents have come out in support, and faced baton charges, beatings, over 500 canisters of teargas, and dozens of arrests without charge. There have been several deaths already, but the people intend to continue their resistance.

12.3 Mb mono 23 minutes

Gabriela talks with community radio from the Washington Office of School of Americas' Watch. She traces the history of this anti-war movement from its creation about the time of the death of Salvadoran Archbishop Romero at the hands of US. trained Death Squads. They track the careers and movements of graduates from the School who are linked to gross human rights violations, and their current work of persuading progressive Latin American governments not to send candidates to be trained by the US. The role of Obama in current US/Latin American relationships is assessed, and the significance of his visit to the burial place of Archbishop Romero, in his recent visit to El Salvador.

2.5 Mb. mono 4 minutes 35 seconds

Union leader Jorge Max Zavala Galeano talks about the second day of a national uprising in Honduras against the Post-coup regime of Pofirio ('Pepe') Lobos. Police have started using live ammunition against peaceful protestors who have succeeded in closing down much of the country, as a response to the intransigence of the regime in meeting the just claims of teachers who have been out on strike for over a week and who have met with brutal repression.

Students and parents have come out in support, and faced baton charges, beatings, over 500 canisters of teargas, and dozens of arrests without charge. There have been several deaths already, but the people intend to continue their resistance. 

10.6 Mb 13 minutes 30 seconds

English commentary to soundtrack of actuality,

Original video: http://vimeo.com/21181376

(Extract from live to air radio show "Latin Radical" broadcast from 2pm to 4pm every Saturday from Community Radio 2NimFM 102.3  Webcast from http://nimfm.org)

Dick Emanuelsson is on the spot to report the heavy repression of teachers in Tegucigalpa, March 18. A three month old baby is nearly poisoned by the tear gas fumes as hundreds of canisters (costing over $100 each) are fired on the peaceful protesters. Later in the day a schoolteacher was killed when a tear gas canister was fired directly at her head, and she was run over by a military vehicle. The teachers are on strike to reclaim a years worth of back wages that haven't been paid, to protest the looting of their pension fund shortly after the coup of 2009, the raising of the pension age to 70 years, and legislation that will lead to the privatisation of the education system and the end of public education in Honduras.