This seminar will be a dialogue about the histories behind the Chega! Report published in 2005 by the Commission of Reception, Truth and Reconciliation (CAVR) of Timor-Leste, and which sits at CES Library, Biblioteca Norte-Sul.
Once described by President Ramos-Horta as "an encyclopedia of our history", this work details Timor-Leste's history between 1974 and 1999 in five volumes: the history of the struggle for self-determination by the East Timorese people resulting from an inquiry into the massive human rights violations during the internal conflict and the 24-years long Indonesian occupation.
Based on the first-hand experience of Professor Akihisa Matsuno, one of CAVR's historical research advisers and activist for Timor-Leste's independence, in this seminar he will discuss the process of truth-seeking and historical research, through the variety of methods used by CAVR — statement taking, social surveys, oral history interviews, discussion forums — and the objectives of its mandate.

In the second part of the seminar, by looking at the present legacies of the work of CAVR, Marisa Ramos Gonçalves will discuss what the preservation of these histories represents nowadays and its possible futures, through the work of Centro Nacional Chega! (CNC), a public institute which is a museum and site of conscience, an archives and education centre, and a place that promotes reconciliation initiatives and offers solidarity and support to former survivors of the conflict. CNC is focused in creating space for intergenerational transmission of memories by commemorating historical events, mapping historical sites, organizing educational tours that allow students to visit historical sites and to hear the testimonials of survivors.

As we celebrate the 49th anniversary of the unilateral proclamation of independence of Timor-Leste by FRETILIN on this day and, in the year of 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, this seminar will also be an opportunity to reflect on the East Timorese memories of the the 25th April 1974 and the initiatives that CNC organised to mark this event, including the decolonisation period and the role of Portugal in this history.

This event is part of the project entitled “Transnational histories of solidarity in the south - researching 'other' knowledges and struggles for rights across the Indian ocean” (CEECIND/00620/2018/) and it is organised in the framework of the Cooperation Agreement between the National Chega! Center (CNC) and CES signed in April 2019. The Association “Académicos Timorenses de Coimbra” provided support to the organisation.

Programme

14h30 | Introduction
14h40 | Constructing History in Timor-Leste: the work and legacy of the CAVR’s truth seeking, Professor Akihisa Matsuno
15h10 | Memory work and historical narratives at CNC: An East Timorese institution and Museum, Marisa Ramos Gonçalves
15h40 | Debate

Bio notes

Akihisa Matsuno is an emeritus professor at Osaka University, Japan. Specialized in international politics, he has extensively written on conflict and peacebuilding in Timor-Leste. Other topics of his publications include West Papua, Indonesia’s political violence in 1965, Palestine, and Western Sahara. He was a UNAMET’s electoral officer in Dili (1999), historical research adviser to the Comissão de Acolhimento, Verdade e Reconciliação (2003-04), JICA’s expert adviser to the Ministry of Social Solidarity of Timor-Leste (2007) and member of the International Advisory Council of the National Chega! Centre (CNC), a Public Institute of Memory in Timor-Leste (since 2017).

Marisa Ramos Gonçalves is a researcher at CES-UC and a lecturer in the CES/FEUC doctoral program on Postcolonial studies. She received her doctorate from the University of Wollongong, Australia, in the area of history and human rights. Marisa is currently working in the research project "Transnational histories of solidarity in the south - researching 'other' knowledges and struggles for rights across the Indian ocean" (CEEC-IND), on the history of solidarity relations between Mozambique and Timor-Leste (1975-1999). She is a member of the International Advisory Council of the National Chega! Centre (CNC) since 2017.