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Timor-Leste has made ‘remarkable progress’
but faces daunting challenges
T
imor-Leste
has made
“remarkable
progress” since the
violence that dis-
rupted it in 2006,
but the long-term
goals of recovery
and development
may prove even
more challenging,
SRSG Ameerah
Haq told the UN
Security Council
at its meeting on
Timor-Leste in New York on 23 February.
“Timor-Leste has reached a new stage,
where there is an intensified focus on
measures needed to sustain stability,
deepen democracy and the rule of law,
reduce poverty and strengthen institu-
tions,” Haq told the Security Council at
the start of debate on the country in
preparation for a decision on an exten-
sion of the UNMIT mandate.
“Timor-Leste, under the stewardship of
its national leaders, is now working to
consolidate the gains of the past and to
ensure a smooth transition to the recov-
ery and development phase,” Haq said.
“This will require continued efforts on
the part of the Timorese as well as the
continued support of the international
community. The problems arising from
the 2006 crisis were considerable, but
the long-term challenges ahead may
prove even more difficult to address.”
One of UNMIT’s major tasks is to conduct
a comprehensive review of the security
sector, as well as training, mentoring and
strengthening of the Timor-Leste Na-
tional Police (PNTL). Ameerah Haq told
the Security Council that the resump-
tion of primary policing by PNTL “will
require continued concentrated efforts,”
» UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras
SRSG Ameerah Haq briefs the Security Council
adding that there is “a strong possibility”
that the process can be completed by
the end of the year.
“Long-term security and stability will
depend on development of a national
police force that is professional and im-
partial and operates with due respect
for the rule of law and human rights,”
she said.
On the political front, she noted that
democratic processes are maturing with
leaders showing a willingness to work
across party lines on issues of national
importance such as moving to set up an
anti-corruption commission.
UNMIT mandate extended
On Friday 26 February, the Security
Council adopted resolution 1912 (26
February 2010) extending UNMIT’s
mandate for 12 month, until 26
February 2011. The full text of the
Resolution, as well as SRSG Ameerah
Haq’s statement to the Security Council
and the full text of Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon’s report are published in
English and Tetum by UNMIT as well as
being available on the UNMIT website.
» UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Not official document – for information only.
Issue No. 109 / 1 March 2010
“Perhaps the greatest long-term chal-
lenges for Timor-Leste will be socio-
economic,” she stressed, citing the need
to fight poverty, hunger, maternal and
infant mortality, and improve access to
health care and education. “It is essential
that the Government redouble its effort
to ensure that development benefits are
felt equally in rural and urban areas,” she
added.
“Also, significant efforts by Government
and Parliament in areas such as gender
responsive budgeting will require con-
tinued and intensified commitment in
order to ensure the empowerment and
meaningful participation of women in
all sectors of society.”
More than 20 speakers took part in the
debate which considered the Secretary-
General’s latest report on Timor-Leste, in
which he called for the mandate of UN-
MIT to be extended for 12 more months,
warning that many of the underlying
causes of the 2006 crisis remained de-
spite recent encouraging signs. He said
the country’s security and justice institu-
tions were fragile and possibly unable to
withstand another major crisis.
The Secretary-General’s report to the
Security Council included a summary of
the major findings of the recent Techni-
cal Assessment Mission in Timor-Leste,
which looked at the future needs to be
addressed by the UN as the mission pre-
pares for expected closure by 2012.
Timor-Leste Deputy Prime Minister José Luís Guterres
addresses the Council
Mr. Guterres started with the economic
situation: “despite the current world
economic and financial crises our
economic growth of non oil GDP in 2008
was 12.8%; and for 2009 our preliminary
estimate is around 12%. In the meantime
the annual average inflation is less than
2%”.
He then highlighted the National Priorities
for 2010: roads and water supply; food
security; human resources training;
access to justice; social services and
administrative decentralization; good
governance; and public security.
» UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Timor-Leste Deputy Prime Minister José Luís Guterres
addresses the Council Talking about transparency, Mr.
On the justice sector, the Deputy PM
announced the bilingual publication
of the Penal Code and added that a law
relating to traditional justice systems
was currently being drafted, training was
planned for future judges, prosecutors
and public defenders and the Chairman
of the Anti Corruption commission was
sworn in.
“The justice sector is in its infancy; many
achievements have been made but many
challenges remain in the road ahead.
Justice and reconciliation are part of our
system of values. We are strongly against
impunity and we believe in the rule of law
and human rights” he added.

M
r. José Luís Guterres, Deputy Guterres added that “the Government
Prime Minister of the Democratic of Timor-Leste aims to make the public Mr. Guterres concluded by concurring
Republic of Timor-Leste, briefed management of public finance among that there is a consensus in Timor-Leste
the Council on the situation in his the most accountable and the most that UNMIT should remain in the country
country. transparent in the world”. until 2012.

PNTL in Oecusse trained on human rights issues Pilot Project of Suco Development Plan in Suai

V F
ice Provedor Silverio Batista organized a human rights training rom 23 to 25 February a total of 28
session for the PNTL in Oecusse from 16-19 February, in response chief of sukus and other volunteers
to recent complaints from the community members regarding attended a training organized by
alleged human rights violations by members of the PNTL. the District Administration in Covalima
together with the German government
The training, held at the PNTL Oecusse’s regional headquarters,
development agency, GTZ. Around 70
included information and discussions on gender-based violence,
participants were divided into small
human rights in general, the policy of using force and the disciplinary
groups to draft village maps and to
regulations governing the work of the PNTL. “It is very important that
measure the development challenges
the PNTL officers receive continuous training on human rights issues,”
in each suku. The main purpose of the
said Batista. “Respecting human rights is vital for the PNTL to gain and
training was to prepare the chiefs for
maintain the trust and confidence of the community.” » UNMIT Photo/Larissa Almeida
the Pilot Project of Suku Development
“This training is a good opportunity to get information about human Planning, to be held in the districts of Covalima, Bobonaro and Aileu.
rights and what procedures we should follow,” explained officer Penal code launched in 2 languages
Damiao da Conceição, one of the approximately 20 participating PNTL
“The Timorese Criminal Code needs to be read and understood, not only
officers. “The importance of human rights cannot be repeated often
by those working in the courts, but also by citizens, who need to know
enough, and as police officers we need to know how to relate to them,”
when a conduct is a crime or to distinguish situations in which a particular
he continued. “A PNTL officer who does not know the human rights
conduct does or does not give rise to a penalty from those situations”.
might act according to his own moral criteria and damage the image
Dr. Cláudio Ximenes, President of the Court of Appeal at the Penal Code
of the PNTL as a whole.”
launch ceremony in Dili on 19 February 2010. Dr. Ximenes has completed
According to Silverio Batista, since May 2006, there have been more a translation into Tetum of the Criminal Code, and UNDP has supported
than 300 formal complaints to the Provedoria about the work of the the publication of a bilingual, Tetum and Portuguese book of the Code.
PNTL, and more than half of these concern alleged human rights
violations. The Vice Provedor strongly urged community members to
report any human rights incident they are aware of, whether as victims
Listen to Futuru Nabilan
UNMIT’s regular radio programme every Saturday at 5:30pm
or as witnesses. “Making sure that human rights are respected is not and Sunday at 6:00pm on RTL
only the duty of the PNTL but of the general public as well,” he said.
“We (PDHJ) have a regional office in Oecusse and are always ready to
listen to and investigate complaints from the local community”.
Watch
UNMIT’s regular TV programme every two weeks on Monday
at 7:30pm on TVTL

Not official document – for information only.