Indonesia continues opposition to ‘unnecessary’ East Timor tribunal News
Indonesia continues opposition to ‘unnecessary’ East Timor tribunal

[JURIST] Indonesia Thursday continued to characterize an international tribunal for the 1999 East Timor violence [Wikipedia backgrounder] as "unnecessary" despite a UN report [PDF full text] formally released Wednesday that called for international oversight [UN press release]. Rights groups have also called [JURIST report] for Indonesia to go along with the UN's recommendation. Indonesia maintains that a Truth and Friendship Commission it established [JURIST report] with its former territory is sufficient to handle the cases of those involved in the rampage that took the lives of 1,500 civilians, but the UN has called it "manifestly inadequate" [JURIST report]. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Laws of Burgos put into effect

The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public bar smashing

On December 27, 1900, militant Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Nation argued that destroying bars was an acceptable means of battling the liquor trade since the Kansas Constitution prohibited alcohol. Learn more about Carrie Nation.

World Bank created

On December 27, 1944, the World Bank was created during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA. Learn more about the history of the World Bank.