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Timor-Leste

Timor Leste far from recovery

After nearly 24 years of conflict under Indonesian rule Timor Leste remains a country in turmoil according to Kathryn Robertson of Trócaire. Timor-Leste is the first new nation of this century, however it is also one of the least developed, on a par with Rwanda, ranking 158th out of 185 countries on the UN Human Development Index.

Independence has not yet managed to deliver peace and security to the country. The arrival of an Australian-led peacekeeping force in the capital Dili in late May 2006 did not solve the country's internal conflict between pro-Indonesian and pro-independence supporters. The resignation of Mari Alklitiri from his position as Prime Minister on 26 June, following a UN investigation into violent clashes earlier in the year, did not solve the conflict.

These days Timor-Leste faces not only economic challenges but also the challenge of building democracy and restoring peace where tension remains, after nearly 24 years of conflict. Communities in the past had little opportunity to organise themselves, to access independent information and to peacefully lobby the government.

Timor Leste's capital Dili plunged into mayhem in April-May this year, when the country's fledgling police and military forces began breaking into factions along ethnic and political lines and firing upon each other. Up to 150,000 Timorese (15 % of the country's population) remain internally displaced. Only one of the leaders behind the April-May bloodshed was ever jailed and he promptly escaped under dubious jail security conditions.

In response to the emergency local and international organisations in Timor Leste are running a coordinated peace-building, poverty alleviation and trauma relief program, funded by nearly US $ 1 million raised through the international Caritas network, of which Trócaire is a member. In addition to supporting this program, Trócaire is supporting a number of non-church partners. The total value of Trócaire's response to the 2006 emergency in Timor Leste is € 250,000.

Is Timor Leste on the path towards re-stabilising? Yes, but things could get worse before they get better. Though all factions of the Timorese military and police have so far been cooperating with international peacekeepers, many Timorese civilians remain in possession of powerful firearms. More simple forms of violence such as throwing of stones also continue to unsettle communities and individuals. Timorese know which gangs attacked their neighborhood and some people are likely to seek vengeance against a particular gang or the ethnic group or political party to which the gang is aligned.

Seeking justice through the courts is a frustrating process. On 17 October, a United Nations Independent Special Commission of Inquiry released a report on the violence of April-May 2006 and who was responsible for this violence. It recommended prosecution of the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Defence for the transfer of weapons to civilians, which is illegal. It named various individual soldiers, police officers and civilians - Timorese from all sides of the warring ethnic and political factions - for their role in the bloodiest incidents.

But instead of being followed by prosecutions, the report has been followed by an upsurge in violence. The court system in Timor-Leste is struggling to find enough people with legal experience and language skills to handle all of the new cases generated by the recent violence. There is the real risk that people who have committed crimes will never be held accountable for their actions. This will only continue to de-stabilize the country and contribute to the sense of insecurity.

Most of the displaced people are in makeshift camps and with the rainy season beginning any day now, these displaced people are likely to become increasingly discontented. Illnesses such as diarrhea, malaria, dengue and respiratory infections will only increase with the rains. With many businesses closing, unemployment is now over 50 %.

* Caritas Internationalis, of which Trócaire is a member, is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social service organisations working to build a better world, especially for the poor and oppressed, in over 200 countries and territories.

To contact Trócaire's press team:

Republic of Ireland
Catherine Ginty,
Press Officer,
Trócaire.
T: +353 1 505 3270
M: 086 629 3994

Northern Ireland & UK
David O'Hare ,
Press Officer,
Trócaire.
T: 028 90 80 80 30
M: +44 7900053884