CAVR PRESS RELEASE

6 December 2005

Making The CAVR Report Public

CAVR completed its substantive mandate on 31 October 2005 when it handed over its Report to the President of the Republic in accordance with the law. The Report is now in the hands of the State and it is the responsibility of the State to disseminate the Report.

This process has commenced. On 28 November, a month earlier than required in law, the President presented the report to the Parliament and subsequently to the Government, in the person of the Prime Minister. These
steps are precursors to its release to the public, both internationally and nationally. As the President said in his address at Palacio Lahane on 31 October, 'the task of publicly disseminating the main findings of the Report will be carried out as soon as possible and in the same spirit that has guided the CAVR along these years'. There is therefore no substance to some media reports that the President has decided to repress the Report. Consistent with the above undertaking, CAVR is assisting the Office of the President to prepare the Report for release to the international community. In the course of the next two weeks the President will provide the full Report to heads of states that gave assistance to the CAVR and to key institutional human rights organizations.

At the same time, CAVR is working with the Office of the President to establish a Post-CAVR Technical Secretariat to assist with the dissemination of the Report throughout all the districts of Timor-Leste. As
the President announced on 31 October, one of this secretariat's principal tasks will be to "lend support to the President of the Republic in his task of disseminating the Report". At the President's request, CAVR has started
preparing a simplified popular version of the Report in Tetum. This is to ensure that everyone in the community has access to the Report.

The "spirit that has guided CAVR along these years" - referred to by the President on 31 October - has been one of transparency, participation and mutual trust. Having drawn on the people's experience and aspirations in
preparing the Report, CAVR believes it is now essential to return the Report to the people. Based on our experience in hundreds of community gatherings and hearings, we are confident that the people will continue to
deal with the past with maturity and good sense. CAVR will continue therefore to give every possible support to the President to ensure the release and propagation of the Report.

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