Democracy Council to Conduct Anti-Corruption Training in Timor Leste

Press Release

Workshop in the World’s Newest Country to Focus on Government Accountability and Transparency in Oil Revenue Management

Los Angeles, March 10, 2004- The Democracy Council, a non-partisan, non-governmental organization based in Los Angeles, California, will train prominent journalists and civic activists in Timor Leste this month on methods for combating corruption and improving government transparency.

“The Democracy Council training program will enable the citizens of Timor Leste to participate more meaningfully in the democratic development of the country,” said Democracy Council president, Jim Prince. “A vigorous, informed press and civil society sector is vital to any nation’s long term economic growth and stability.”

Formerly known as East Timor, the country of Timor Leste won its independence from Indonesia in 1999 after decades of civil strife. The world’s newest country, Timor Leste has recently begun to develop oil and gas reserves found within its territorial waters in the Timor Sea in cooperation with multinational energy companies.

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Democracy Council training program will teach participants how different governments around the world manage revenues from exploitation of natural resources, how to detect common sources of corruption, and survey effective measures that the press and civil society can take to prevent non-transparent government practices.

“If managed properly, revenues from oil and gas exploration can be a tremendous boon to all the people of Timor Leste,” said Kerry Candaele, Democracy Council’s program manager for the training workshop. “Graduates of the workshop will be in an excellent position to help ensure that Timor Leste will not fall prey to the rampant corruption prevalent in too many petro-states today.”

A Harvard University professor, a former CNN investigative journalist, and a regional economist are among the expert trainers the Democracy Council is bringing to Dili to lead the week long session. Workshop participants will come from the country’s leading broadcast and print media outlets such as the Timor Post, and Radio Timor-Leste. Well-known civic organizations like  Fokupers, Perkumbulan Hak, and La’o Hamutuk will also be in attendance. The training workshop will be held between March 22nd and March 26th, in the Farol district of Dili, Timor Leste.

The Democracy Council conducts programs around the world designed to strengthen democratic governance, economic freedom, human rights, and the rule of law. The Democracy Council’s work on transparency and anti-corruption issues in the Middle East, and elsewhere, has been feature in 60 minutes, Time Magazine, and USA Today.