U.N.'s challenges in East Timor

THE U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL, Mr. Kofi Annan's visit to East Timor last week was timely and symbolic. He chose to visit Dili and its environs for a first-hand assessment of the ground realities even as a U.N. peace force takes charge from multinational troops called the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET). The command for the peace-keeping operation switches from Australia to the Philippines, which was chosen because it is part of ASEAN and more acceptable to Indonesia. It was an emotional Secretary- General who shared the grief of the East Timorese and placed a wreath in a church where not very long ago, pro-Jakarta militia massacred the locals. Mr. Kofi Annan held discussions in Jakarta with the President, Mr. Abdurrahman Wahid, and his senior Ministers, before meeting up with the East Timorese leader, Mr. Xanana Gusmao, in Dili. The U.N. is preparing to take on its first major challenge in peace-keeping and reconstruction in the new millennium. It will be a daunting challenge by any standards and could become not only a test case for the world body, but also a precursor for more such assignments in future. That is what makes East Timor a unique and important milestone.

Conditions seem to be ripe for the launch of a massive reconstruction exercise in this former Portuguese colony. A courageous Indonesian President, Mr. Wahid, has sacked his Political and Security Affairs Minister, Gen. Wiranto, who was till last year the chief of the armed forces and indicted by a U.N. probe team. This was a strong signal by the President that he is fully in command and ready to cooperate with the U.N. for a smooth transition in East Timor. It has to be seen when the Attorney-General begins the real inquiry into the massacres and violence in East Timor, following the independence vote last year. And if Gen. Wiranto and his regional commanders are indeed held responsible in any way for sponsoring or silently supporting what looked to be genocide, there can be a serious situation on hand. Will the President grant amnesty to the Generals or let the law takes its course?

Now that an alternative political leadership is at hand in East Timor and the U.N.'s Transitional Administration (UNTAET) is already in place, the stage is set for establishing a Government of national reconciliation there. Without delay, Mr. Gusmao and the U.N. team must draw up a list of priorities in rehabilitation and reconstruction work. The refugees from Darwin in Australia and West Timor must now return to their villages and begin to rebuild their homes. With international help, UNTAET must begin capacity and institution building in the territory through a comprehensive programme of human resource development. A multi- pronged effort to reconstruct the economy, start cottage and small industries to generate employment, retrain and humanise insurgents to take over policing duties and set up systems of local and national governance must be finalised and implemented. It is now time to act, time to begin the reconstruction of East Timor.

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