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East Timor - UN Security Council - Global Policy Forum
East Timor
(Timor Leste)
Picture credit - The Economist
In 1975 Indonesia invaded East Timor when the former Portuguese colony declared independence. The UN never recognized East Timor as being under Indonesian sovereignty. The UN Security Council established a UN Mission in East Timor (UNTAET) in 1999 to oversee a referendum in which the East Timorese voted for independence. The ballot was followed by violence perpetrated by pro-Indonesia militias. UNTAET acted as a transitional administration while the fragile nation rebuilt. East Timor achieved full independence on May 20, 2002, becoming the first new country of the 21st century. UNTAET was subsequently replaced by a UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) in 2002, and transformed into a scaled down UNOTIL in 2005.
While initially viewed as a success for UN peacekeeping and “nation- building”, a dispute within the new country’s military in May 2006 led to violent clashes between the army and disaffected soldiers. The violence soon spread throughout the country, igniting latent hostilities between the various ethnic communities in East Timor. Following the government’s appeal for international assistance, Australia, Malaysia, Portugal and New Zealand sent troops to attempt to restore order. Further violence erupted in East Timor following the attempted assassination of both President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao in February 2008. As a result, the Australian government sent 140 troops to the country to bolster the UN peacekeeping presence.
These pages look at the process of governance of East Timor, with commentary on the role played by the UN and its interaction with the interim East Timorese Cabinet, followed by the first election in August 2001 and what role the UN has played in building the new nation.
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Key Documents/Analysis | Articles | Archived Articles
Key Documents/Analysis
Security Council Resolution 1802 on Timor-Leste (February 25, 2008)
The Security Council has extended the mandate of the UN Mission in East Timor (UNMIT) by twelve months. The extension follows disturbances in the country after the attempted assassinations of the President and Prime Minister in February 2008, by a group loyal to rebel leader Alfredo Reinado. The mandate allows UNMIT to strengthen democratic institutions and support the police in providing a safe environment for Timorese citizens.Strengthening Accountability and Transparency in Timor-Leste (January 2006)
The UN has presented new East Timorese Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta with this report aimed at strengthening government and the rule of law in the divided country. The report, drawn up by experts from the UN, UN Development Agency, the World Bank and the government of Finland, makes recommendations on fighting corruption, developing a code of ethics for public officials and on ensuring transparency in government. The UN hopes the implementation of the report will restore confidence in the government as East Timor attempts to recover from weeks of violence. (World Bank and UN Development Programme)
Articles
2008 | 2007 | 2006
2008Australian Troops Rush to East Timor (February 12, 2008)
Australian troops have reinforced the UN mission of support to East Timor (UNMISET) following assassination attempts on President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao. The attacks prompted fears of new waves of violence, which has plagued the country, since its independence in 2002. The Security Council urged the government of Timor-Leste to bring those responsible for the “heinous act” to justice. (International Herald Tribune)
2007Ending Visit to Timor-Leste, Security Council Team Pledges Ongoing UN Support (November 30, 2007)
A Security Council team, after a visit to Timor Leste, said that although the country has improved, it still needs international assistantance in development, to prevent it from falling back into chaos. The Council’s team also met with local authorities, political representatives, UN officials, police officers, civil society members and local representatives in order to collect public opinion over the UN peacekeepers in the country, UNMIT. (UN News)UN Condemns E. Timor Violence (August 8, 2007)
No party earned enough parliament seats to win the June 2007 Timorese elections. So, in accordance with East Timor’s constitution, President Jose Ramos-Horta named Xanana Gusmao, of the CNRT party, as the new Prime Minister. Soon after, supporters of the dominant Fretilin party rioted in Dili, Baucau and Viqueque. Senior UN official Atul Khare called for Fretilin’s leaders to denounce their supporters’ violence and to encourage them to accept Ramos-Horta’s decision. (Agence France Presse)Security Council Commends East Timor for Peaceful Elections, but Expresses Concern over Insecurity (May 23, 2007)
Following elections in April and May, Jose Ramos-Horta has been sworn in as president. The Security Council called on the East Timorese government to confront political and social challenges including poverty in the country following violence after the election. The Council handed over peacekeeping and administration of the territory to the Timorese in 2002. The country will hold its parliamentary elections at the end of June and the UN Mission in East Timor is to aid in the electoral process. (The Associated Press).Timor Leste Security Situation Remains ‘Volatile,’ Warns Secretary General (February 5, 2007)
Amidst continued low-level violence in Timor Leste, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon hopes to extend the UN Integrated Mission in Timor Leste (UNMIT) for 12 months to show the Security Council’s continued commitment to the region. Further, Ban stresses that Timorese authorities need an increased role in maintaining security and he also calls for more humanitarian assistance from international donors. (UN News)
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2006UN Commission of Inquiry Issues Report on Violent Crisis that Shook Timor-Leste (October 17, 2006)
The UN Independent Special Commission of Inquiry for Timor Leste, in a report released in October 2006, condemns the former Timorese prime minister and other former officials for failing “to denounce the transfer of security sector weapons to civilians,” despite being informed of these illegal activities. In its recommendations, the Commission calls for further investigations to determine the criminal responsibilities of Timor-Leste officials with respect to weapons offences. The creation of the Commission followed the violence that occurred in April and May 2006 in the Southeast Asian country. (UN News)A Job from Hell: Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister (August 3, 2006)
This openDemocracy article describes the difficult balancing act East Timorese Prime Minister José Ramos Horta must perform. The same forces that led to the resignation of former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri remain organized and well armed, undermining efforts at returning East Timor to stability. Alkatiri himself still possesses huge influence through his leadership of the Fretilin party. The author argues that in the aftermath of the turmoil that gripped East Timor in May 2006, how Ramos Horta deals with the sensitive party political issues will prove crucial to the future of stability of East Timor.Profile: Jose Ramos-Horta (July 8, 2006)
East Timor President Xanana Gusmao has named Nobel Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta as the country’s new Prime Minister. Ramos-Horta had been mentioned as a potential successor of Kofi Annan as UN Secretary General but has decided to use his widespread popularity to be a potential unifying figure to end weeks of unrest and violence in East Timor. This BBC profile outlines his campaign for justice and self determination for East Timor during the years of Indonesian rule.Australia Builds its Empire (June 26, 2006)
John Pilger sees Australia’s hand in the dispute that split the East Timorese army and that threw the country back into turmoil. As Australia continues to exploit East Timor’s oil and gas reserves, he highlights the significance of a leaked Australian Defence Force document that states that Australia's "first objective" in East Timor is to "seek access" for the Australian military so that it can exercise "influence over East Timor's decision-making". (New Statesman)Australia - Peacekeeper or Petroleum Predator? (June 22, 2006)
This Inter Press Service article questions Australian humanitarian motivations in its intervention in East Timor, pointing to the huge oil and gas deposits off the coast of East Timor. The author compares the history of East Timorese independence and Australia’s “bully[ing] its poor neighbor into submitting to Canberra's ambitions to control exploration and exploitation of these natural resources.” The Australian strategy of taking from East Timorese oil fields and giving back much less in aid has left the new country economically dependent on its much larger neighbor.East Timor President Vows to Stay On and Serve (June 23, 2006)
East Timor President Xanana Gusmao withdrew his threat to resign as thousands of supporters joined him in opposing the country’s Prime Minister, Mari Alkatiri, who Gusmao blamed for the turmoil engulfing East Timor. The UN had earlier appealed to Gusmao not to resign, arguing it would lead to further division along ethnic lines. The conflict that erupted following clashes between police and military has precipitated a power struggle between Gusmao, a hero of the guerilla war against Indonesia, and Alkatiri, now under heavy pressure following accusations that he established a personal militia to assassinate his political opponents. (Reuters)UN Troops to Make East Timor Return (June 14, 2006)
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has told the Security Council that the UN plans to send peacekeepers back to East Timor in the wake of the resurgence of violence there. Joining those who have claimed that the UN left East Timor too early, Annan accused the "international community" of “inadequately sustaining Timor-Leste's (East Timor's) nation-building process.” He said it was obvious that the UN would need to return, but warned that it could take up to six months to deploy troops. (Aljazeera)The East Timor Test (June 2, 2006)
This opinion piece argues that the UN response to the crisis in East Timor will test its “peace building mettle.” “For the second time in seven years the United Nations bears a large degree of responsibility” for political turmoil and violence in East Timor, argues TomPaine, but the UN still offers the best hope for restoring a stable society there. The author stresses the importance of the third UN intervention in seven years learning from the mistakes of the past two missions, arguing that the UN must use East Timor’s “indigenous resources for peacekeeping” and “stay the course.”Refugees Tell of East Timor's Torment (May 28, 2006)
This BBC report describes the conditions in Dili as the violent clashes between the army and groups of former soldiers have sparked widespread turmoil throughout the city. Tens of thousands have fled their homes and moved to makeshift emergency camps to escape the bitter ethnic and community rivalries that have exploded into bloodshed in the past 3 days. While peacekeepers arrive to restore relative calm, East Timor faces a huge challenge in resolving the regional grievances that threaten its very future.UN Urges End to East Timor Violence (May 25, 2006)
The Security Council has welcomed international offers of security assistance to East Timor after receiving from the East Timorese government an urgent request for help in quelling the growing violence in the country. Following clashes between government forces and rebel troops, the government’s appeal for assistance stated that its own army was unable to cope with the situation. The Security Council promised to continue to monitor the situation as Australia and Portugal prepare to send troops. (Australian Broadcasting Service)Back to the top
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