Solidarity and Democracy Mission to Timor-Leste

by | Aug 29, 2006 | Press Releases, Self-determination and Solidarity

We are members of three Asian regional networks dedicated to democracy and peace in Asia: the World Forum for Democratization in Asia (WFDA), the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), and the Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC). We are here to extend our solidarity to the people of Timor-Leste, and it is very fitting that we do so on the 7th anniversary of the referendum by which the people of Timor-Leste exercised their right to self-determination, as well as the 5th anniversary of the Constituent Assembly elections.

We are members of three Asian regional networks dedicated to democracy and peace in Asia: the World Forum for Democratization in Asia (WFDA), the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), and the Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC). We are here to extend our solidarity to the people of Timor-Leste, and it is very fitting that we do so on the 7th anniversary of the referendum by which the people of Timor-Leste exercised their right to self-determination, as well as the 5th anniversary of the Constituent Assembly elections.

The self-determination and democratic development of Timor-Leste is important for the whole region. The struggle of the Timorese people has inspired peoples all over Asia. Conversely, any problems in Timor-Leste can also have a negative impact on other countries in the region as we deal with similar issues.

Therefore, the violence in recent months has disturbed us, and we felt it necessary to come in person to hear from as many people as possible about the real conditions on the ground. Having supported Timor-Leste during the dark days of the struggle, when so many suffered terribly, we cannot stand by when violence breaks out now. While independence was a great victory for the Timorese people, it was only the beginning of the process of building the nation, including notably the development of effective institutions. Therefore, our solidarity must be continually reaffirmed, and this mission is a concrete manifestation of that commitment.

Consisting of 12 members from around the region, the mission began on 27 August, and will continue until 1 September. Although our time has been brief, we were able to meet the President, the current and former Prime Ministers, and other national leaders from various political persuasions; the Special Representative of the Secretary General; leading civil society organizations; and a number of groups of ordinary citizens, including internally displaced persons, to listen to their views and concerns. Other meetings will continue for the remainder of our stay in the country. This was only possible with the help of a group of effective local partners, notably the Kadalak Sulimutuk Institut (KSI; GPPAC-Timor-Leste), the Peace and Democracy Foundation (PDF), and the NGO Forum of Timor-Leste (FONGTIL).

In these meetings and dialogues, several key issues were apparent. In general, we sensed a great deal of frustration and anger, at least in Dili, which indicated that the crisis is not yet settled. In fact, one of our team members personally experienced the threatening environment when a group of angry youths surrounded him on the road in the night. We recognize that there were longstanding problems that exacerbated the tensions and prolonged violence, but that the immediate causes were fundamentally political. It is clear, therefore, that the crisis was not inevitable; on the contrary, it could have been prevented, and it thus can also be resolved.

We heard clearly a strong desire from the people for constructive dialogue among national leaders, in order to create the atmosphere and conditions for hastening resolution of the crisis and restoration of peace. We understand that among the people there are also serious unresolved issues that need to be addressed. We learned about a variety of promising community level initiatives to promote local dialogues for peace-building.

We believe that the recent use of the terms “East” (“Lorosae”) and “West” (“Loromunu”) is essentially arbitrary and artificial. These terms do not refer to intrinsic categories of the population, and they certainly do not denote ethnic groups. Instead, they appear to have been manipulated by political actors and some of the media, including the international media. This distortion has already inflamed the crisis, and if left uncorrected could create lasting damage to Timor-Leste’s national unity.

We believe that the internally displaced persons (IDPs) have genuine concerns about the security in their home neighbourhoods, and that they will not be able to resume their normal lives until those concerns are fully addressed.

We are also concerned about the developments looking forward for the next few months, in particular as the preparations for next year’s national elections get under way. These are the essential next step in Timor-Leste’s democratic development. They may either set the country on a firmer footing or serve as a focal point for further tensions.

We welcome the adoption of 25 August of UN Security Council Resolution 1704, and the renewed commitment of the international community which it represents. In particular, we welcome the creation of a multinational police force. Multilateral forces should find it easier to achieve sufficient trust and confidence from the people to enable them to effectively restore and maintain public security.

In light of these observations, the Solidarity and Democracy Mission to Timor-Leste makes the following initial recommendations:

  1. Appropriate reconciliation mechanisms should be developed at both the national and community levels.
  2. The reestablishment of security must include community participation, especially of women; in this regard we encourage the use of traditional and cultural resources for conflict transformation.
  3. All international forces, whether bilateral or multilateral, must show utmost sensitivity, and in particular must avoid reinforcing divisions within society.
  4. Appropriate Timorese security forces should be properly reconstituted and take over public security responsibility as soon as feasible.
  5. We encourage the international community to facilitate dialogue among political leaders, as a complement to domestic processes.
  6. Any official dialogue processes must ensure the participation of Timorese civil society.
  7. Political actors must be circumspect in their use of language, especially terminology referring to divisions in society.
  8. Media, both national and international, should report on related issues in a responsible manner, to avoid inflaming tensions and creating divisions.
  9. The main political parties must reach a compromise on the electoral law as soon as possible, in order that the elections may be held smoothly and on schedule.
  10. The Pact for National Unity signed on 8 July 2001 is a valuable experience that should be reaffirmed at a suitable time before next year’s elections.
  11. The government, as well as international and Timorese civil society, should put more emphasis on youth activity programs.
  12. The political leaders should issue a national appeal assuring the people a peaceful return to their respective communities.

Finally, we express our deepest appreciation for the hospitality from our local partners and all the Timorese people, and to all those we met for taking the time to talk to us. We are confident that ultimately, the people of Timor-Leste will resolve their problems and continue the great task of national development. We stand ready to accompany them with our lasting solidarity.

A luta continua!

Media Contacts:

Ruby Rose Lora (IID): +670-732-3838
Estanislau Salsinha Martins (PDF) +670-724-2167