Peacebuilding in Timor-Leste

This article highlights the importance of interaction between peace missions and local dynamics, drawing on Tsing's work on frictions. It is centred on the United Nations (UN) peace intervention in Timor-Leste, discussing different examples of frictions, which have the potential to undermine or empower the peacebuilding efforts underway. The analysis stresses the unpredictable effects of applying the UN liberal peace model. It is argued that processes of friction, often consisting of an incremental build-up of intermediate results shape and form the (un)sustainability of any peacebuilding process initiated by an external intervention and, consequently, should be identified and analysed in order to enhance or minimize their positive/negative contribution towards building peace. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors acknowledge financial support from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for the research work conducted within Project PTDC/CPJ-CPO/115169/2009 (COMPETE-FEDER) on 'Peacebuilding and Sustainable Peace: UN Missions in Timor-Leste and Portugal's Contribution'. The authors acknowledge also support from Fundação Oriente for the conduct of field research in Timor-Leste. The authors would also like to thank the editors of this special issue and the anonymous reviewers for their comments on previous versions of the article, as well as Annika Björkdahl for her most insightful comments on an earlier draft. Notes S/RES 1704 (2006), 25 August, with subsequent extensions S/RES/1802 (2008), 25 February; S/RES/1867 (2009), 26 February; S/RES/1912 (2010), 26 February; S/RES/1969 (2011), 24 February and S/RES/2037 (2012), 23 February. Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing, Friction: An Ethnography of Global Connection, Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2005, p.3. Ibid., p.xi. Ibid., p.7. Ibid., p.7. Ibid., p.5. Ibid., p.6. Ibid., p.3. Oliver Richmond, 'Beyond Liberal Peace? Responses to "Backsliding"', in Edward Newman, Roland Paris and Oliver Richmond (eds), New Perspectives on Liberal Peacebuilding, Tokyo: United Nations University Press, 2009, p.57. United Nations Peacekeeping, 'Success in peacekeeping' (at: www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/operations/success.shtml). UNTAET was officially established in October 1999 (S/RES/1272 (1999)), and a small team led by Sérgio Vieira de Mello arrived the following month. However, the whole mission took some time to be fully operational (February 2000). Tanja Hohe, 'The Clash of Paradigm: International Administration and Local Political Legitimacy in East Timor', Contemporary Southeast Asia, Vol.24, No.3, 2002, pp.569–89; Nicolas Lemay-Hébert, 'Coerced Transitions in Timor-Leste and Kosovo: Managing Competing Objectives of Institution-building and Local Empowerment', Democratization, Vol.19, No.3, pp.465–85. S/RES/1704 (2006) (see n.1 above). Elisabeth Lothe and Gordon Peake, 'Addressing Symptoms but not Causes: Stabilisation and Humanitarian Action in Timor-Leste', Disasters, Vol.34, No.3, 2010, pp.427–43, pp.434–5. S/RES/1802 (2008) (see n.1 above). S/2011/32. Interview by authors with Finn Reske-Nielsen, Acting UNSRSG to Timor-Leste, Dili, 6 July 2012. João Manuel Rocha, 'Timor-Leste votou para escolher Governo que deve ser uma coligação', Público, 6 July 2012 (at: www.publico.pt/Mundo/timorleste-vota-para-escolher-governo-que-deve-ser-uma-coligacao-1553823). Interviews by authors with João Azevedo, Legal Advisor to the Timorese Parliament, Dili, 28 June 2012; Zacarias da Costa, Minister of Foreign Affairs (2007–2012), 4 July 2012; Fidelis Magalhães, Chief of Staff of the Office of the President, Dili, 28 June 2012; and José Ramos-Horta, President of the Republic of Timor-Leste (2007 2012), Dili, 1 July 2012. Lothe and Peake (see n.15 above), p.440. On the 2007 elections see the comprehensive analysis by Michael Leach, 'The 2007 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Timor-Leste', Australian Journal of Politics and History, Vol.55, No.2, 2009, pp.219–32. Reske-Nielsen (see n.18 above) and Azevedo (see n.19 above). Nicolas Lemay-Hebert, 'The "Empty-Shell" Approach: The Setup Process of International Administrations in Timor-Leste and Kosovo, Its Consequences and Lessons', International Studies Perspectives, Vol.12, No.2, 2011, pp.190–211, p.206. Oliver Richmond, 'De-Romanticising the Local, De-Mystifying the International: Hybridity in Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands', The Pacific Review, Vol.24, No.1, 2011, pp.115–36, p.116. Arrangement on the restoration and maintenance of public security in Timor-Leste and on assistance to the reform, restructuring and rebuilding of the Timorese National Police and the Ministry of Interior Supplemental to the Agreement between the United Nations and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste on the Status of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste, 1 December 2006. Ibid., Chapter III, Section 6. Ibid., Chapter III, Section 5. Ibid., Chapter III, Section 8. Ibid., Chapter III, Section 8. Ibid., Chapter III, Section 8. Interview by authors with Luís Carrilho, UNMIT Police Commissioner (2009–2012), Dili, 3 July 2012. Ibid., and interview by authors with Longuinhos Monteiro, PNTL General Commander (since 2009), Dili, 6 July 2012. Carrilho (see n.31 above). Countries such as Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Singapore or China. Carrilho (see n.31 above) and Longuinhos Monteiro (see n.33 above). Arrangement on the restoration and maintenance of public security in Timor-Leste (see n.25 above), Chapter III, Section 9. Ibid. Longuinhos Monteiro (see n.32 above). The PNTL General Commander did recognize a problem regarding material means to maintain the PNTL everyday operational activities, but he also remarked that this is a concern for the future government. Oliver Richmond, 'Becoming Liberal: The Everyday, Empathy, Post-Liberal Peacebuilding', CPCS Papers, 2008 (at: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/intrel/media/becoming_liberal.pdf). Suco is a community organization formed on the basis of historic, cultural and traditional circumstances, having an area established within the national territory and a defined population. Lei 3/2009, 8 July, Article 3, 1. Constitution of Timor-Leste, 2002, article 65. Ramos-Horta (see n.19 above); Carrilho (see n.31 above); Longuinhos Monteiro (see n.33 above). European Union Election Observation Mission to Timor-Leste 2012, Press Release, Dili, 09/07/2012 'Peaceful and Well Organised Parliamentary Elections 2012 a Step to Democratic Consolidation' (at: www.eueom.eu/files/pressreleases/english/EN_PressRelease_PreliminaryStatement_20120709.pdf). Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr Joint media release (at: http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2012/bc_mr_120714.html). The International Republican Institute 'Timor-Leste Holds Credible Parliamentary Elections, 8 July 2012 (at: www.iri.org/news-events-press-center/news/timor-leste-holds-credible-parliamentary-elections). No: 04/STAE/X/2011, Regulamento sobre os procedimentos de votação, contagem dos votos e apuramento dos resultados para as eleições presidenciais e parlamentares, aprovado pela Comissão Nacional de Eleições. Article 47, 8. Ibid., Article 25. Ibid., Article 48. Ibid., Articles 48 and 16, respectively. If consensus cannot be reached the complainer has the right to make a written appeal in a form available for that effect at each polling station, keeping a copy for him/herself. Briefing by STAE staff to accredited international observers, 4 July 2012. Nuno Canas Mendes, A multidimensionalidade da construção identitária em Timor-Leste, Lisboa: ISCSP, 2005, p.239. Patrícia Jerónimo, 'Estado de Direito e Justiça Tradicional. Ensaios para um Equilíbrio em Timor-Leste.', in Rui Pinto Duarte, José Lebre de Freitas, Assunção Cristas, Marta Tavares de Almeida, and Vítor Pereira das Neves (eds), Estudos em Homenagem a Carlos Ferreira de Almeida, Vol. III, Coimbra: Almedina, 2010, pp.97–120. Lei 3/2009 (see n.40 above), Article 6, 2. Councils also include the Suco Leader, all village leaders and a nominated lian nain. Lei 3/2009 (see n.40 above), Article 5, 2. Tsing (see n.2 above), p.8. Ibid., p.10. Ibid., p.8. Ibid., p.18

Dynamics · Peacebuilding · Timor leste · Global Peace and Security Dynamics · Peacebuilding and International Security · Political Conflict and Governance

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