The role of the United Nations in the new century will be a different one compared to the traditional observing and discussion role from the past. UN peace-building missions in Kosovo, Eastern Slavonia, East Timor and Cambodia gave a first impression of the future role of the UN in post-conflict situations: To built up a democratic, peaceful nation after war or civil war’s destruction of the country. But how could that impressive task be managed? Which problems could emerge and which processes guarantee a successful mission? Of course there won’t be a ‘one size fits all’ model but the lessons learned of the experiences could help to manage future tasks. In this context, the UN mission in East Timor is said to be very successful because within a few years a multidimensional project built up a working administration and a viable democratic state out of a completely destroyed infrastructure and scorched earth with thousands of dead or fled inhabitants. But what made this mission so successful? Was it the multidimensional mandate? The international experts involved? The preconditions of the conflict? The small size of the country? Or even the ownership of the East Timorese people in the peace-building process? The question of participation is a very important one, especially with the perspective of the people once being independent. During the UN peace-building-process the foundation of the future nation’s governing structure is laid and it is absolutely crucial to involve local actors in the process of state-building. The problem of the performance for the UN exit of the country after the mission is also a problem of lacking former participation. “No exit without a Strategy” Kofi Annan postulated (quoted in Chesterman et al 2004: 15) - the thinking about the Strategy leads to the problem of participation. But how could one prepare a nation for democracy and good governance from the standpoint of a UN transitional government? The governing structure “benevolent despotism” (Chesterman 2002b) through a multidimensional, centralized mandate is not a very good teaching example.
In this work, I would like to focus on one specific theme to analyse - the possibility for the people to participate and the degree of their involvement in the transitional government of the UN. Maybe this task was the key to the overwhelming success of the UN mission in East Timor?
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. UNTAET
2.1. Mandate
2.2. Institutional Structure
2.3. Participatory Elements in UNTAET
3. Participatory Elements
3.1. Local Governance
3.2. ‘Timorization’
4. Transfer of Authority
4.1. The Process of Transfer
4.2. Elections
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the effectiveness and depth of participatory mechanisms within the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). It explores the inherent tension between the UN's centralized, top-down approach to peacekeeping and the essential requirement for local ownership in long-term state-building.
- The integration of local populations in transitional governance.
- The impact of the UN's "Dual Mandate" on democratic self-determination.
- The role of local governance and grassroots structures in building political legitimacy.
- The process of "Timorization" as a strategy for personnel and administrative transition.
- Evaluation of the UN's institutional and participatory exit strategy in East Timor.
Excerpt from the Book
The language problem.
It sounds trivial to name the language as a severe problem in the participation of local population but the international staff did not speak a single language of East Timor, so that English became the working language in the transitional administration. This caused a severe limitation of daily participation by the East Timorese “such as meetings, planning discussions and general supervision” (Subiato: 14). The East Timorese feared, which was baseless, that English would stay their future administratory language and it was a “source of ongoing concern” (Harland 2005: 4).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter contextualizes the role of the UN in post-conflict reconstruction and identifies the central research focus on participation and local involvement in East Timor.
2. UNTAET: This section details the multidimensional mandate of the UN transitional administration, its institutional structure, and the initial efforts to integrate participatory elements.
3. Participatory Elements: This chapter analyzes the specific challenges of involving local actors and the theoretical conflict between rapid peace-keeping requirements and the need for bottom-up institutional growth.
4. Transfer of Authority: This section examines the strategic transition of power to local control, focusing on the methods of transfer and the significance of electoral processes.
5. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the findings, arguing that while the mission was successful, the systematic integration of participatory elements was often insufficient or delayed.
Keywords
UNTAET, East Timor, Transitional Administration, State-building, Participation, Peace-keeping, Local Governance, Timorization, Self-determination, Democracy, Ownership, Sovereignty, UNMISET, Post-conflict, Mandate
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the level of local participation and involvement within the UN's transitional government in East Timor, investigating whether this involvement was a key factor in the mission's overall success.
What are the central themes discussed in this document?
Key themes include the UN's "Dual Mandate," the administrative "Timorization" process, local governance structures, the language barrier in administration, and the challenges of achieving political legitimacy in a post-conflict environment.
What is the main research question?
The research asks to what extent participatory elements were successfully integrated into the governing structures of UNTAET and whether this involvement sufficiently contributed to the state-building process.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The study utilizes a qualitative literature analysis, examining UN resolutions, scholarly critiques of state-building, and reports from the transitional period to evaluate the performance of the UN administration.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the mandate of UNTAET, its institutional design, the practical implementation of local governance projects, the personnel strategy of "Timorization," and the procedural steps for the transfer of authority.
How would you characterize the keywords of this paper?
The keywords are centered on international relations, conflict resolution, administrative reform, and the specific socio-political context of the UN's presence in East Timor.
How did the language barrier impact the UN's mission?
English becoming the working language severely restricted the daily participation of the local East Timorese population in meetings and planning discussions, creating a source of ongoing concern and alienation.
What does the term "Timorization" refer to?
It refers to the gradual process of replacing international administrative staff with East Timorese personnel to build capacity for self-governance and ensure a smooth transition to independence.
What is the "Dual Mandate" mentioned in the text?
It represents the dual objective of the UN: to govern the country with centralized executive authority while simultaneously preparing the local population for democratic self-government and eventual independence.
- Quote paper
- Katrin Kornmann (Author), 2005, Integration of Participatory Elements in the Governance of the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/44442
