Born again East Timor<\/p>\n
Free at last to determine their own destiny, East Timorese
\nvoted on Thursday for an 88-member constituent assembly that will
\ndraft a Constitution for their nascent state and prepare for
\npresidential elections next year. Administered by the UN after
\npro-Jakarta militias reduced the territory to shambles in 1999
\nwhen its people opted for statehood, the former Portuguese colony
\nwhich Indonesia annexed in 1976 has to build from scratch. The
\nEast Timorese have no experience of self-government, no state
\ninstitutions, and little funds. Leading presidential candidate
\nXanana Gusmao has warned his people not to expect immediate
\nimprovements to their lives just because they now have democracy.
\nOf the 16 political parties which took part in Thursday's polls,
\nFretilin, which led the armed struggle against Indonesian
\noccupation, is set for victory when the official results are
\nannounced next week.<\/p>\n
Like it or not, East Timor's new government will have to
\ndepend heavily on the UN to see it through its first few years.
\nIt is not just the economic and security problems the country
\nfaces. The sensitive issue of atrocities committed by pro-
\nIndonesia militias remains unresolved. There is no consensus
\namong East Timorese on how to deal with this difficult problem.
\nHuman-rights activists oppose the idea of giving amnesty to those
\nwho burned, looted and killed in the aftermath of the 1999
\nplebiscite, not to mention the gross human-rights abuses during
\nIndonesia's 24-year rule. While Mr. Gusmao is prepared to
\nconsider amnesty in the spirit of reconciliation, not all East
\nTimorese agree with him. This issue could cause friction with
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Thursday's election was peaceful, despite fears of violence.
\nThis is due to the presence of UN police and the 8,000
\ninternational peacekeepers. The UN has warned that it would be
\nshort-sighted to equate the election with the establishment of an
\neffective government. UN administrator Sergio Vieira de Mello
\nsaid the UN and the international community must stay the course
\nin East Timor or risk undermining the progress of the past two
\nyears. For this reason, the UN plans to stay in the territory for
\na while after independence to help the new government. This is to
\nensure that the new state has sound administration and a self-
\nsustaining economy. East Timor, reborn, is getting a fresh lease
\nof life. Its leaders have to stay united to build a new nation.
\nThis will not be easy.<\/p>\n
-- The Straits Times, Singapore<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/born-again-east-timor-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }