STATE BUILDING IN EAST TIMOR.

• Author: Gusmao, Xanana

Xanana Gusmao describes efforts to establish a stable democratic society in the newly freed territory.

The 30 August 1999 final act of self-determination in East Timor was a magnificent display of democratic consciousness. The steadfastness shown on that day reflects the nature of our two decade-long liberation struggle. It was a long and difficult struggle for independence and democracy with dreams the people knew well could only be realised through independence: to live freely and express our identity and culture, to be active participants in the process of our development as a nation and as human beings, to guarantee our rights as citizens and our collective rights as a society.

This was our first contribution to the international community: the reaffirmation of the fundamental right to self-determination and independence of even the tiniest and poorest country.

The values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are acknowledged by all the countries and governments of the world as the basic rights of every human being. For the East Timorese people, the meaning of such rights and values has been learnt in the hardest possible way: through the violation and denial of such rights, that is, through torture and murder; through the disappearance and physical elimination of loved ones and through the attempted annihilation and denial of a national identity and culture. These are the universal values that the East Timor state will uphold and pass on to future generations.

Therefore, we truly hope that the process of democracy-building in East Timor may become another contribution to the region in particular, and the international community as a whole. It will be our heartfelt gift to other peoples of this region and the world.

The political process of East Timor is now being studied by some academics for its unique features and development. It is indeed the first time the United Nations have been involved in a state-building process. The people of East Timor are determined to take an active part in this process instead of being mere bystanders and recipients of international solidarity and assistance.

This `test-case for the UN', as some have called it, is undoubtedly one that will be closely watched and actively participated in by the most interested party of all -- the East Timorese people. The initial six months of the UNTAET mission have been a fruitful learning process for the United Nations and for us, and now we will share the responsibility of governance with the international community.

Basic structures

The basic state structures are about to be built, being the establishment of a Cabinet, the setting up of the National Legislative Council (NLC) and the preparation of a constitution. These are three of the major challenges we will face.

Very soon a shared...