[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 88 (Monday, July 10, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1355-E1356]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUPPORT FOR EAST TIMOR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 10, 2006

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, several of us in the House 
are proud of the role we played in helping gain independence for the 
new nation of East Timor, and we have been pleased by the commitment of 
the leaders of that new nation to democracy. In particular, we believe 
that the President, Xanana Gusmao, and the former Foreign Minister and 
newly-designated Prime Minister, Jose Ramos Horta, have shown a 
commitment to the maintenance of a fully democratic society. In fact, 
President Gusmao--widely known and revered by the people of East Timor 
as Xanana--worked to get a candidate to oppose him in the first 
presidential election in the country because he wanted to set the right 
precedent.
  It was with great sadness therefore that we watched the violence that 
wracked this small country in recent weeks, and we believe that it is 
very important that the responsible leadership of East Timor receive 
the support they need to make this violence a temporary interruption in 
their progress as a nation. One very important element in this effort 
is the United Nations, contrary to those who would dismiss the UN as of 
no use in today's world. In a recent article in the Boston Globe, Prime 
Minister Ramos Horta and Raj Purohit make the case that ``it is vital 
that the UN continue to lead an inclusive effort to insure that Timor-
Leste (the Portuguese official name for East Timor) becomes a strong 
democratic member of the international community.'' In addition to the 
UN, Australia has played a very constructive role in helping deal with 
the problems of this new nation.
  Mr. Speaker, the recent violence is a sad fact, but it should not 
lead to pessimism about the longer-term future of East Timor. Instead, 
members of the international community should heed the words of Jose 
Ramos Horta and Raj Purohit and support the steps that will lead to a 
stable and democratic future for this new nation. In particular, they 
ask that the new UN Peace Building Commission make East Timor one of 
the objects of its work, and I hope that this request will be supported 
by the United States Government and honored by the Peace Building 
Commission so that, in the words of the authors of this article, we can 
see that ``Timor-Leste finally takes its place among the world's stable 
democratic countries.''

                        [From the Boston Globe]

                    Jose Ramos Horta and Raj Purohit

       In recent weeks commentators have framed the uprisings in 
     Timor Leste as a country that has spiraled into violence 
     despite UN peacekeepers. This gives the false impression that 
     the United Nations has failed in the country formerly known 
     as East Timor. The reality is significantly different.
       Having declared its independence a mere four years ago, 
     Timor Leste is still a fledgling nation emerging from the 
     aftermath of a long, and often bloody, struggle for freedom. 
     Though citizens have been ably assisted by various UN 
     missions as they attempt to build the country, Timor Leste 
     still has many challenges to overcome. These challenges 
     include speeding up reconciliation, building a democratic 
     political culture, instilling the rule of law, and creating 
     an economy that is able to provide sustainable livelihoods 
     for its people.
       While critics correctly note that efforts for reintegration 
     and development must be redoubled, they fail to note that 
     international commitment to long-term peace-building 
     processes must also be redoubled. Peace-building processes 
     that pay attention to a nation's need to feed, employ, 
     govern, and heal itself are essential in any nation-building 
     process. But the world failed to offer sufficient assistance 
     to Timor Leste. The world community, including the United 
     States, moved on to the next failing state before Timor Leste 
     had sufficient strength to stand on its own.
       Now we are at the point in Timor Leste's nation-building 
     process where the key stakeholders need to make a calculated 
     assessment of what needs to be done next, coupled with a 
     renewed political and financial commitment to a UN-driven 
     process. Yes, missteps occurred, but this does not demand a 
     radical change of direction nor should nations abandon Timor 
     Leste at this critical juncture.
       The first order of business is to address the violence 
     caused by the dismissal of 600 striking soldiers. In the 
     short term, the combination of regional and UN assistance 
     coupled with a commitment from local government officials to 
     address the tension will help dampen the fighting. In the 
     long term, Timor Leste, working with regional governments, in 
     particular Australia, will need to address the broad security 
     challenges underlying the current instability.
       Second, and perhaps more significant, it is vital that the 
     UN continue to lead an inclusive effort to ensure that Timor 
     Leste becomes a strong, democratic member of the 
     international community. The UN is the logical body to 
     coordinate this initiative and it seems logical that the new 
     UN Peace Building Commission should play a central role in 
     this effort.
       The Peace Building Commission was formed to improve the 
     coordination of relevant actors within and outside the UN and 
     to extend the period of attention given by the international 
     community to post-conflict recovery. In the case of Timor 
     Leste, the commission should coordinate efforts to ensure 
     that:
       There is an aggressive and sustained campaign to improve 
     the livelihood of Timor

[[Page E1356]]

     Leste's people. This effort requires local buy-in and 
     assistance from the World Bank and national and regional 
     development groups.
       Local systems of governance are developed and respect for 
     the rule of law is cultivated. In particular, emphasis should 
     be placed on judicial institutions, which will enable 
     accountability for past and current crimes.
       Peace and security is guaranteed for Timor Leste. 
     Peacekeepers, instead of leaving prematurely, must remain to 
     support military and police troops.
       The Peacebuilding Commission is selecting which post-
     conflict nation-states to adopt. Along with Burundi and 
     Sierra Leone, Timor Leste is high on the list. The world 
     community has an opportunity to rally behind Timor Leste, 
     rather than abandon it, and help this nation become healthy 
     and strong--a peace-building process that will take a long-
     term commitment from every international institution.
       Ian Martin, former special representative for the UN 
     secretary general for East Timor, is forecasting a larger 
     role for the UN. He should recommend that the Peacebuilding 
     Commission take the lead in ensuring Timor Leste finally 
     takes its place among the world's stable democratic 
     countries.

                          ____________________