Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-06-15-Speech-4-201"
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"en.20060615.29.4-201"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the current crisis in East Timor gives rise to a number of complex questions. Has the international community failed to prevent the outbreak of violence? What lessons emerge from this for the donor countries?
According to the most recent reports, the security situation is calmer, although looting and clashes are continuing, and have resulted in more than 100 000 people being evacuated into the camps. These evacuees are now receiving assistance from humanitarian organisations, including partners of the Commission that have already supplied aid to this country before. We must do much more, however, especially in terms of providing security, protection, food, water and hygiene facilities, as well as health care and shelters.
The political situation in the country is very complicated. As a result of dismissing one third of the armed forces, deep social and economic tensions affecting the entire country have risen to the surface. Mass unemployment and persistent poverty are caused primarily by political factors. Ethnic differences may also play a role, although they are not in themselves the cause of the basic economic and political problems.
What can the European Commission do? In the short term the Commission is determined to help the country overcome its current crisis by providing humanitarian aid to the evacuees. The Commission has already given some of its humanitarian partners the task of amending ongoing projects so as to redirect aid to address the most pressing needs of the people in the camps. The Commission is also drawing up a decision on financing, which will meet the additional humanitarian needs of the inhabitants. At the same time we should try to find ways to assist in the political process. The EU has from the outset been determined to assist the government and people of East Timor. A solution will not be easy, since the current crisis manifests itself at both the government level and at the level of socially disadvantaged members of society.
Both the UN and the international community are continuing to play their role here. But East Timor cannot succeed – either now or in the future – merely through the presence of UN peacekeeping forces, but first and foremost through development and democracy. The next parliamentary elections in 2007 should provide an opportunity to support democracy and will at the same time be a test for the government of East Timor and its citizens, as they decide which path to follow. The Commission will continue to consult closely over all these matters with Member States, partner countries and UN agencies, and it will of course continue the political dialogue with the authorities in East Timor both on a bilateral level and within the framework of the Cotonou Agreement.
Every viable democratic state needs strong institutions, operating under transparent rules, and the rules establishing human rights are a cornerstone of democracy. I fear that some of the institutions in East Timor have not met our expectations in this regard. The country secured its independence precisely because it was able to extend to its citizens the rights denied to them in the past. The international non-governmental organisation Human Rights Watch has published a detailed report on this topic and I will therefore focus only on selected areas.
There has clearly been some progress. One example of this would be the office of the mediator for human rights. I am also delighted to mention the preparation of a bilateral commission on rights and friendship with Indonesia, and I hope that it will enjoy a broad mandate. There is a need, however, for progress in the functioning of the police force and the justice system as a whole, as well as in the areas of freedom of expression and association.
In this regard our support will continue. Our latest project involves financing the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation. This project has made it possible to gather important information on violations of human rights in the past. The report from this Commission was published in 2005. We are now considering a further contribution to the installation of peace in this country.
Both the Members of this Parliament and the citizens of East Timor should know that the European Union is a determined backer of the peace process in this country."@en1
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