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Timor-Leste

Timor- Leste: Strong partnership, unique relationship - President and PM visit UN mission HQ

Dili, 28 April, 2009 - Marking the third anniversary of enhanced UN presence since the 2006 crisis in Timor-Leste, President José Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão visited the Mission Headquarters of the United Nations in Dili. The leaders of Timor-Leste were received by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) Atul Khare and they met with UN staff members in a town hall meeting.

President Ramos-Horta highlighted that while security had been restored in Timor-Leste, it remained fragile. "It's easy to forget how far we have come in a short time. For that we must give significant credit to the United Nations Police working together with their PNTL colleagues." - said the President. Focusing on the need to resolve continuing issue of internally displaced persons from the 2006 crisis, the President said that the aim is to "resolve all outstanding issues of those remaining the in last camps in the coming months."

Prime Minister Gusmão put stability and economic development in the focus of his address. "In only three years since the crisis, people have regained trust and confidence in each other and in State institutions, consolidated peace and stability through national dialogue and reconciliation initiatives," said the Prime Minister. "We need to work harder to bring economic development to consolidate stability, to create jobs and to improve the lives of the Timorese people." Prime Minister Gusmão called for continued support of the United Nations.

A number of UN staff members spoke, reflecting on their experiences of the 2006 crisis, especially when large numbers of the traumatized population sought refuge in the UN compound.

"This is not a time to be too somber," said SRSG Khare. "It is a moment for reflection, but this reflection must include recognition of the progress made by the people of Timor-Leste in overcoming the dark days of 2006." Khare called for a careful reflection of all factors contributed to the improvement of the situation in Timor-Leste since 2006. He expressed his beliefs that the third anniversary, since the crisis, can be an occasion for optimism. "It becomes a statement about the strong partnership and unique relationship between Timor-Leste and the United Nations," said the SRSG.

Three years ago riots broke out in Dili, the capital city of Timor-Leste following a demonstration by a group of disaffected military came to be known as the "Petitioners". 40 people were killed and over 100,000 fled their homes to make-shift camps in the following months. Against this background, Timor-Leste urgently requested police and military assistance from Australia, New Zealand , Malaysia and Portugal . The ensuing political, humanitarian and security crisis of major dimensions led the United Nations Security Council to establish a United Nations peacekeeping presence, whose mandate was recently renewed to focus on the four critical areas of security sector reform, strengthening of rule of law, justice and human rights, democratic governance and social and economic development.