Uncovering the truth about deaths in East Timor One of Benetech's biggest Human Rights projects has been our work for Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor (CAVR). We helped the CAVR with the most technically challenging and advanced statistical work of any truth commission to date: understanding what happened over the 25 years since the Indonesian army invaded East Timor. MORE

This method has been used for estimating large-scale killings in Guatemala , Kosovo , Perú , Srebrenica , East Timor , and Colombia , among others. A Guest Beneblog by Anita Gohdes, Jeff Klingner, Megan Price and Patrick Ball The recent release of almost 400,000 secret US military files on the war in Iraq through Wikileaks has attracted wide media coverage. MORE

The Wired News story did a great job of covering our work in East Timor/Timor Leste. Wired News: Coders Bare Invasion Death Count We have gotten excellent press for our human rights program lately. And, our Martus human rights software was covered in a South African publication, with an article entitled: Free software working for human rights. That same article was picked up elsewhere in Africa, such as the Mail and Guardian Online. MORE

Since Patrick is busy working with the Truth Commission in East Timor, I think they are trying to connect him to the ceremony over the Internet! Awesome announcement! Patrick Ball, our Director of Human Rights Programs, will be awarded one of EFF's Pioneer Awards next week. Electronic Frontier Foundation Announces Pioneer Award Winners I think this is a great recognition of Patrick's incredible contribution to the international human rights movement MORE

Benetech is pleased to announce that we have finalized a contract with the Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation (CAVR) of Timor-Leste (East Timor). Benetech will conduct statistical analysis of the Commission's four databases, including personal testimonies, gravesite registries, military unit deployment records and a retrospective mortality survey. MORE

As a small child I was profoundly affected by the glimpses I got into the injustices in the world so I became a human rights lawyer and spent a decade working in places like the Gaza Strip, Timor-Leste and Afghanistan. We write and teach what we want to learn, at least, I do. MORE

It helps endangered Asian children get off the streets in Cambodia, Philippines, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, East Timor, Jordan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. MORE

"The difference that I could make was really much less grand than saving the world, but it was in many ways much more powerful because it was actually something that all of us can do. MORE

Our staff are actively working in the region in Sri Lanka and East Timor, but on December 26th were not in harm's way. Benetech's Patrick Ball was on National Public Radio's Morning Edition show today in a piece entitled Uncertainty the Rule in Gauging Deaths from Tsunami. Patrick's main point was that getting a precise number of those lost in the tsunami was less important than working on aiding the survivors. MORE

Their partner orgs include Amnesty International , Artists for Amnesty International , Equal Access , Fund for East Timor , Global Security Institute , PeaceJam and the Tibetan Students Project. How would you like to be "friends" with Rigoberta Menchu, the Dalai Lama and Jimmy Carter? You might be able to if you join the newly launched social network, TheCommunity.com. From the home page: "Our social network just launched! MORE

Counting the Human Cost in East Timor Our Human Rights Group just released the statistical report detailing widespread and systematic violations in Timor-Leste during the period 1974-1999. MORE