Thailand RPCV Michael J. Montesano says in labeling East Timor a case of genocide, the magazine jumps the gun.



Thailand RPCV Michael J. Montesano says in labeling East Timor a case of genocide, the magazine jumps the gun.

Yale historian Ben Kiernan has long enjoyed good press. So it is no surprise to find a glowing report about him and his current research on the long, brutal Indonesian occupation of East Timor in the pages of your magazine. Still, in labeling East Timor a case of genocide, the magazine jumps the gun. The Commission for Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation in East Timor continues its work to determine whether evidence on the quarter-century of human-rights violations endured by the East Timorese demonstrates an instance of genocide. For all the horrors that the new nation's people suffered, that conclusion is by no means foregone.

Michael J. Montesano '83

When this story was prepared, here was the front page of PCOL magazine:

This Month's Issue: August 2004 Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrates the Peace Corps Volunteer as one of the best faces America has ever projected in a speech to the Democratic Convention. The National Review disagreed and said that Heinz's celebration of the PCV was "truly offensive." What's your opinion and who can come up with the funniest caption for our Current Events Funny? Exclusive: Director Vasquez speaks out in an op-ed published exclusively on the web by Peace Corps Online saying the Dayton Daily News' portrayal of Peace Corps "doesn't jibe with facts." In other news, the NPCA makes the case for improving governance and explains the challenges facing the organization, RPCV Bob Shaconis says Peace Corps has been a "sacred cow", RPCV Shaun McNally picks up support for his Aug 10 primary and has a plan to win in Connecticut, and the movie "Open Water" based on the negligent deaths of two RPCVs in Australia opens August 6. Op-ed's by RPCVs: Cops of the World is not a good goal and Peace Corps must emphasize community development.

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