Restoring Peace In Complex Emergencies

Written by Julio Team Monday, 01 June 2009 10:39

THE 7th IISS ASIAN SECURITY SUMMIT SHANGRI-LA DIALOGUE, Singapore

Thank you Mr Chairman, and thank you for inviting us to share information about the Timor-Leste experience in emergency situations.  I would like to use this opportunity to express our government’s sympathy and condolences to the people of Myanmar, and the Chinese people.  My presentation focuses on restoring peace in emergency situations in East Timor.

Timor-Leste has lived through too many conflicts and emergencies in the past 10 years.  The first crisis was in 1999 and the second was in 2006.  In 1999 the people of Timor-Leste voted for independence.  In the aftermath a major crisis developed in the region from those who lost out in the popular vote.   In 1999 it is estimated that a quarter of the population, 250k people, were displaced, and up to 75% of the Tutus were affected.  A massive multi-agency response to the complex humanitarian emergency was launched and coordinated by the UN, which assumed executive power in the absence of a sovereign government.  The humanitarian assistance was coordinated with the UN along with the bilateral development partners, who had the monopoly of resources and technical expertise.  Along with the differences resulting from the specific dynamic of the crisis, there was desolation from the local political pressures, and consideration of this merited the response to this emergency. 

From April to May 2006 the internally generated crisis evolved into mass protests, and the division of the security forces in Sudan.  Government mismanagement contributed to the crisis in 2006.   Armed conflict was quickly brought under control, but political tension remained strong for a period of almost two years.  Unresolved social problems, and a small group of armed rebels were discovered only last month.  As in the case of all complex emergency situations, the response to the 1999 crisis, was initially focused on meeting the emergency security centres, and all the basic needs of the population.  The immediate needs of the population were met relatively quickly in 1999, but the long-term effect of the crisis and the response contributed to the dynamic that resulted in the 2006 crisis.  Given the destruction of infrastructure in 1999, and the main challenges related to absence of government structures, the immediate humanitarian response was extremely positive.   The security needs of the population were largely and quickly met.  This was due in part to the exemplary conduct of the former fighters, who remained on the continent, and were effectively reintegrated into the new security forces.  This contrasts with other countries, where humanitarian response and early stages of social rebuilding have been more challenging.

Where it could be said that the first emergency response was quick and effective, the transition to sustainable economic recovery and development proved significantly more challenging.  The 2006 was an internal crisis that required the response of the newly created institution.  The new institution led the immediate emergency response, but the dynamic of the conflict involved internal division in the police and armed forces, as well as momentary mistrust in both institutions.  This limited the scope of the involvement of the security or defence forces in the response.  The role of the armed forces was influenced by the consideration beyond that normally associated with the role of the armed forces in humanitarian responses generally.  This led to international involvement in the internal security arrangements of Timor-Leste.

In May 2006 the government of Timor-Leste met with the governments of Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Portugal, who provided military and police to the government of Timor-Leste.  I would like to use this opportunity to thanks the governments of Malaysia, New Zealand, Portugal and Australia.   Bilateral assistance was deployed extremely quickly, but was difficult to coordinate.  The government requested a new UN mission to take charge of law enforcement.  In 2006 the UN Security Council extended the scope of the unit and mission in Timor-Leste.  The UN was, and still is, mandated to ensure the restoration and maintenance of public security in Timor-Leste through the provision of support to Timor-Leste national police.  The Security Council resolution also called for international security forces to fully cooperate with and provide assistance to implement the mandate.  We currently have an Australian international security force in Timor-Leste.  The governments of Timor-Leste, Australia, and the UN established a trilateral coordination to discuss security issues relevant to the management and establishment of the security involvement in Timor-Leste.  This included not only the security operations, but also full coordination between the participants, through consultation and information sharing.  During this period the national and international security forces participated, not only ensuring security, but also in assisting as the humanitarian institutes performed their tasks of providing for the population. 

The trilateral coordination arrangement was the basic form in which this coordination was established.  Other arrangements were created within the Ministry of Social Solidarity, to coordinate civil assistance and military operation in the emergency situation.  The trilateral coordination forum prepared a matrix based on trade analysed with the basis of assigning static security to different security forces, including national police and army forces, based on the degree of trade. 

In 2007 regular elections were held according to the constitution, and the planning of security arrangements were coordinated within this trilateral forum.  The security of hundreds of polling stations across the country, and all related logistical preparations was coordinated with the assistance of the UN.  The trilateral arrangements performed very well, and required the coordination of all national and international security forces, like our national military, national police and international security forces.  This ensured the elections were held in a peaceful and free environment.  The challenges called for a more sustainable response, which was hard to assimilate within the classic emergency system.