Lobby Days provide an exciting and inspiring opportunity for activists from all over the United States to come together in Washington, DC and meet with Members of Congress to discuss serious issues affecting East Timor. You will meet with your own Members of Congress as well as accompany fellow activists on other meetings. You will also participate in lobbying training and workshops.

Yes, East Timor is free from Indonesian occupation, but not yet secure. There is still much work to be done – among others:

Resolving the refugee crisis in West Timor and other parts of Indonesia. Bring the East Timorese home!

Ensuring adequate aid for East Timor for FY 2001.

Maintaining the suspension on U.S.-Indonesian military ties with Indonesia, including the ban on IMET.

Accountability - exerting pressure for fair Indonesian and international investigations and prosecutions for war crimes and crimes against humanity

Nothing works like meeting personally with your Congressmembers to move these initiatives through Congress!

Who Should Come to ETAN Lobby Days?
YOU, even if you never lobbied before! For those who are new to lobbying, ETAN will get you started by helping you set up meetings, pairing you up with experienced lobbyists for your meetings, and providing you support and advice throughout the entire process. ETAN lobby days will kick off with a full day of training and workshops, and each evening we will meet together to share stories and trade ideas about the day’s meetings. We will even have a protest outside of the Indonesian Embassy!

Let ETAN staff know of your plans to participate in lobby days.

Arrange your transportation. Lobby training (mandatory) begins on Sunday May 7 at 10 AM, so we encourage you to arrive in DC by Saturday night. Plan to leave DC on Wednesday May 10. A limited number of travel subsidies are available.

Arrange your housing. ETAN encourages you to find your own housing. We recommend that you talk to friends in the area who may be able to host you. If you cannot find your own housing, please let us know and we will help you.

Schedule your appointments. It is best for you to schedule your own appointments with your Senators and Representatives. Offices will prioritize calls from constituents (more so than calls from ETAN), and you are more likely to get a meeting with your Senator or Representative directly (as opposed to a staffer) if you make the call on your own. If you would like help in setting up your appointment by phone, just give us a call or drop us an email.

Inform ETAN of your appointments as they are confirmed. For each meeting you schedule, let us know the date, time, name of the staffer you’ll be meeting, and the names of others (if any) planning to attend the meeting.

Lobby! Come to lobby days, attend the training, meet lots of great people coming to town, and do important work for the people of East Timor.

Sunday May 7 Lobby Days Training

10 am - 7 pm Welcome, briefings and workshops on human rights accountability, refugees, aid and reconstructoin and more, East Timor update, lobby tips and role plays

7 pm Dinner

Monday May 8 Lobby Days Part I

9 am. - 4:30 pm Lobby Visits

5 pm. - 6 pm Protest at the Indonesian Embassy on East Timorese Refugees

6 p.m. Dinner in Dupont Circle

Tuesday May 9 Lobby Days Part II

9 am - 5 pm Additional Lobby Visits

6 pm Dinner

Wednesday May 10 Lobby Days Part III

9 am-1 pm Lobby Visits

Arriving: From National Airport, you can catch the blue-line Metro into DC. From Dulles Airport, you can catch a shuttle bus into downtown DC or to the West Falls Church Metro Station (orange-line). From Baltimore Washington International (BWI) Airport, you can take a shuttle bus into downtown DC or take a train to Union Station, which is within walking distance of the Capitol building. Inexpensive commuter rail service (MARC) is available only on weekdays. Amtrak trains run at all times and arrive at Union Station. Greyhound buses will drop you off at the Greyhound Terminal behind Union Station, where you can catch a Metrobus or taxi.

For details, contact Karen Orenstein at 202-544-6911, karen@etan.org or Kristin Sundell, 773-878-4033, kristin@etan.org, or visit the ETAN website at www.etan.org. In the New York City area contact: John M. Miller, (718)596-7668; john@etan.org

See you in Washington.

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