The establishment this week of the new United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) demonstrates the world body does not intend to let the country slip into violence. A multinational effort led by Australia has worked over the last three months to restore order to Asia’s newest democracy after violence erupted in the Spring after then-Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri , who stepped down under pressure in June, disbanded nearly half the country’s army.
UNMIT will consist of a civilian component, including up to 1,608 police personnel and, initially, up to 34 military liaison and staff officers, according to media reporting.
Despite the good intentions, it’s the Australians who will remain the thin line between stability and a resurgence of violence. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer recently appluaded the UN effort, but he said the Australian military presence, despite a recent downsizing that has been mirrored by New Zealand , would continue on the basis of an invitation it received from East Timor to provide assistance.
Australia has approximately 1,500 troops and 200 police among a larger multination force, which also includes contingents from Malaysia , New Zealand and Portugal . The Aussies have stated they wish to remain both in charge of military security and separate from the UN effort.
That is good news for East Timor and a smart move by political leaders in Dili and Canberra.
Despite some bumps in the road?an Australian officer on August 28 allegedly humiliated a senior Timorese police officer by ordering him to remove his uniform in public, and gang members attacked an Australian police officer this week–the Australians have managed to keep a lid on still-simmering tensions through a combination of considered patience and hard-nosed resolve. The effort has not been without cost; nearly a dozen Australian police have died during the peacekeeping mission.
Stabilized but not Stable
East Timor continues to face challenges. Political factions vie against each other, and local gangs reconstitute easily and intimate the general public. Former soldiers play a large role in the ungoing unrest.
Just hours after the UN resolution passed this week, fresh fighting broke out between rival gangs left dozens of people wounded. Gangs clashed in Wailili village of Baucau district, 230 kilometres east of Dili, leaving at least 25 homes on fire and scores of people wounded, according to Australian media reports.
The long-term Timorese conditions for peace include reintegrating army personnel, returning or finding homes for nearly 100,000 displaced persons, improving the economy, and transforming the culture of violence that took root among Indonesian -sponsored gangs and militias prior to independence in 2002.
Elections are scheduled for next year and are a good first step. Australian-sponsored crop improvement programs also show significant promise in alleviating local food shoratges. Finally, East Timor has access to significant gas and oil reserves that hold financial promise.
But, the near-term challenge will be to ensure that the new UN effort succeeds. It is the Australians and their current partners on the ground that will set the conditions for the UN to do so.
