UN in East Timor

The UN in East Timor:
Building Timor Leste, a fragile state

Juan Federer

This is a unique book: an insider's account of the East Timor liberation struggle. It is also an academically rigorous study of the creation by the United Nations of Timor Leste, the world's newest independent state. Dr Juan Federer, for many years closely involved in the struggle for the liberation of the territory, examines the UN state-building work in East Timor. He concludes that it was insufficient to lay the foundations for a well-functioning state. Timor Leste is a very fragile state, whose future is uncertain. Once again, the UN was hamstrung by the limited commitment shown by its member states.

The author argues for a stronger international state-building effort to strengthen fragile or failing post-colonial states. East Timor/Timor Leste would have provided a perfect opportunity to do such work properly. He stresses the need for the international community to seriously address the international humanitarian and security problem presented by fragile states - a long-term legacy of the 20th century colonial experience. The book's publication on the eve of the creation of the UN Peace Building Commission is well timed. East Timor would have greatly benefited from such a UN body, had it existed at the time. The international community and the new Commission would do well to keep the experience described in this book in mind.