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The UNs legacy in Timor LesteEdio Guterres and Ivo Mateus
Goncalves, Dili | Opinion | Tue, January 22 2013, 10:59 AM
Paper Edition | Page: 7
The euphoria of the Christmas and New Year period has settled in
TimorLeste as the country enters a new era. Having celebrated
differenthistorical moments in its history throughout the year,
Timor Leste bidfarewell to 2012 and in doing so made history.
The beginning of the New Year marked the end of a 13-year
UnitedNations engagement to assist the construction of a new state.
TimorLeste is now entering into a new relationship with the world
body.
The last UN mission, the United Nations Integrated Mission in
TimorLeste (UNMIT) was established with UN Security Council
Resolution1704 in late August 2006 and was mandated, inter alia, to
consolidatenational stability, restore and maintain public security
through theprovision of support to the Timorese National Police
force and completeinvestigations into outstanding cases of serious
human rights violationsin 1999.
By the time peacekeeping operations ended in 2005, Timor Leste
washailed as a UN success story. When violence broke out in the
nationscapital, Dili, in 2006, the UN was eager for that success
story not to bespoilt.
The Security Council promptly established UNMIT and authorized
thedeployment of a UN Police (UNPOL) force, which at its peak
numbered1,600 personnel.
Having probably heeded advice from long time New York resident
andformer president of Timor Leste Jose Ramos Horta, that an Asian
foodrestaurant in downtown Manhattan would take years before it
made aprofit, the UN was now here for as long as it took, to deal
with criticismleveled against it that its early departure was a
contributing factor to the
2006 violence.
Throughout the 13 years, the UN success story of Timor Leste has
alsobeen a darling of the international media. With the UN pull-out
and majorconflict escalations elsewhere, international media
attention on thecountry now looks certain to fade.
As the partnership takes a new shape, scrutiny will now focus on
thework done and tasks that remain incomplete. While the
UNpeacekeeping mission departs, development agencies will stay
behind tocontinue providing support in social and economic
development.
It was always certain that the UN would not stay forever. What
wasunclear, however, was where to draw the departure line.
At the close of UNMIT, almost everyone involved in the
process,Timorese and internationals alike, were convinced that
Timor Leste wasnow ready to stand alone.
The peaceful and smooth conduct of three rounds of elections in
2012with minimal UN support, and the prevalence of peace following
the Feb.11, 2008 assassination attempt on the then president Hortas
life areproof for this claim.
The Supplementary Policing Agreement signed on Dec. 1, 2006
betweenthe Timor Leste government and the UN established that UNPOL
wasthe holder of executive policing authority in the country, thus
overseeingthe National Police of Timor Leste (PNTL).
However, the UNPOL-PNTL partnership was ambiguous. Despite
theterms of the Supplementary Policing Agreement, the reality on
the
ground spoke of different facts.
Up to the date of their withdrawal, UN police officers were
barelydeployed beyond the district centers on permanent basis.
In the subdistricts and villages where the majority of Timorese
live, PNTLofficers were the sole security providers.
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Confusion arose within the community as well as the police force
inregards to the dualism of command in the police force. In 2008
forinstance, two consecutive orders of suspension by the
UNPOLcommissioner against the interim PNTL district commander of
Baucauwere overturned by PNTLs national leadership. This confusion
wasattributed to a lack of socialization both on the side of UNMIT
and theTimorese government.
Nevertheless, the presence of a UNPOL force and its support for
thePNTL has largely been effective in quelling and deterring
violencethroughout the country. When UNMIT left at the end of 2012,
it was hailed
as another success, the credit for which goes to the Timorese
people,their leaders and the international community alike. But was
this avictorious departure?
At the last commemoration of the renowned Santa Cruz Massacre
ofNov. 12, before UNMITs departure in 2012, the National Alliance
for anInternational Tribunal called on the UN not to abandon its
duty to bringustice to the victims of past human rights
violations.
On the other hand, both Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and
formerpresident Jose Ramos Horta have publicly and pragmatically
assertedthey will not call for an international tribunal on Timor
Leste.
They have also questioned why the UN did not do more to pursue
justicewhen the organization held administrative power in the
country during the
years of transition.
It is clear that to leave or even push the government of Timor
Leste totake the responsibility for pursuing justice for past human
rightsviolations is unfair, as it is an impossible task in the
foreseeable future,given the geopolitical, economic and strategic
interests at stake.
What is also clear is the fact that calls for accountability for
past humanrights violations will continue to haunt the UN record in
Timor Leste andbilateral relations with Indonesia.
As democracy flourishes in both Timor Leste and Indonesia,
voicesdemanding justice for past human rights violations look set
to get louderin both countries.
With the competition for the presidency intensifying ahead of
the 2014
general election in Indonesia and the involvement of some of the
mostprominent former Indonesian Military (TNI) generals in past
human rightsviolations, media attention is likely to increase. The
question of justicewill return to the spotlight and UN report card
on Timor Leste will be re-scrutinized.
Until Timor Leste and Indonesia muster enough power to confront
andaddress their pasts, justice will, to quote the late, former
Indonesianforeign minister Ali Alatas, continue to be a pebble in
the shoe of theUN, Timor Leste and Indonesia. Before then, any
declaration of missionaccomplished seems to be wanting.
Edio Guterres is a former UNMIT officer. Ivo Mateus Goncalves is
an
historical researcher based in Dili.
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