E. Timor needs continuing UN support to bolster stability: Xanana<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Dili<\/p>\n
East Timor will continue to need the support of the United
\nNations to strengthen peace and stability after UN peacekeeping
\nmissions come to an end, President Xanana Gusmao said on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
\"We will still continue to count on your support ... to help
\nus consolidate the achievements and progress we have made in
\nsecuring peace and stability over these last few years,\" Gusmao
\nsaid in a ceremony to mark the end of the mandate of the UN
\nMission of Support in Timor-Leste (UNMISET).<\/p>\n
He hailed UNMISET's contribution to peace and security in East
\nTimor, which voted to break away from Indonesia in a violence-
\nmarred ballot in 1999.<\/p>\n
\"Peace is an essential element for nation-building. By
\nsecuring and keeping peace, you have helped to set up the
\nconditions for the smooth functioning of democracy in our
\ncountry, enabling for such democratic processes as elections to
\nbe held in a free, fair and peaceful manner,\" Gusmao said.<\/p>\n
The ceremony, at the Obrigado barrack compound in downtown
\nDili, was also attended by special representative of the UN
\nsecretary general, Sukehiro Hasegawa, who called the departure of
\nUN peacekeepers \"a historic occasion.\"<\/p>\n
\"An important chapter of the UN's involvement in Timor-Leste
\n(East Timor) will be closed,\" Hasegawa said in his speech.<\/p>\n
Hasegawa said that UN peacekeeping forces have been deployed
\nin East Timor since 1999 and their strength had already been
\ngradually cut in line with needs, from close to 9,000 in 1999 to
\n435 currently.<\/p>\n
From May 21, a new political mission, the UN Office in East
\nTimor (UNOTIL), is to be established in East Timor and will be
\ncomposed of 45 civilian advisors as well as 15 military and 60
\npolice advisers, Hasegawa said.<\/p>\n
Up to 10 human rights officers will also be part of UNOTIL to
\nprovide training on democratic governance and human rights.<\/p>\n
The UN office's main task, during its one year mandate, will
\nbe the transfer of knowledge and skills to local officials,
\nHasewawa said.<\/p>\n
Gusmao said that East Timor's challenges were to develop its
\ndefense forces, assure security, and pursue development and the
\nstruggle against poverty.<\/p>\n
The ceremony included a parade by members of the UN police and
\nthe awarding of medals of honor by Gusmao to leaders of the
\npeacekeeping forces.<\/p>\n
Pro-Indonesian militias, allegedly directed by Indonesian army
\nofficers, went on a rampage before and after East Timorese voted
\nfor independence from Indonesia in the UN-sponsored ballot in
\nAugust 1999, prompting the deployment of a UN-sanctioned
\ninternational force there the following month.<\/p>\n
The militias killed about 1,400 independence supporters, laid
\nwaste to much of the infrastructure and forcibly deported 250,000
\npeople to West Timor.<\/p>\n
East Timor gained full independence in May 2002 after a period
\nof UN stewardship.<\/p>",
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