PORTUGAL EAST TIMOR reconstruction for development 1999 / 2000 COMISSIONER SUPPORT the TRANSITION in EAST TIMOR EASTTIMOR 5 The New York Agreements The action of the militias and the deterioration of Humanitarian 6 conditions in East Timor The Commissioner to support 7 the transition in East Timor The activities of the TIMOR ’99 Technical assessment missions 20 11humanitarian mission The commissioner’s Activities in the first months of 2000 23 13first visit to East Timor Annexes I, II, III 27 Index 3 THE PORTUGUESE FOREIGN OFFICE EASTTIMOR The New York Agreements On 5 May 1999, Portugal and Indonesia signed a Basic Agreement on East Timor, witnessed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan. They also signed two additional agreements, which the UN Secretary-General also witnessed. Annexed to the Basic • Appointing the United Nations as the Agreement was Indonesia’s proposal for only entity responsible for conducting extended autonomy. referendum and monitoring the process from start to finish; • Indonesia’s acceptance of a The parties agreed that the Timorese permanent presence of the United should be invited to vote on this Nations in East Timor after the vote. proposal by direct, universal suffrage in an environment of freedom and When the agreement was signed, impartiality. Portugal gave the Secretary-General of the United Nations a contribution These agreements fulfilled Portugal’s of 10 million US dollars, for the main diplomatic objectives where East referendum fund. On that occasion, Timor was concerned, with particular Kofi Annan stressed the great need for focus on the following points: Portugal to play an active part in the • Recognition by Indonesia of East reconstruction of East Timor. Timor’s right to self-determination as the only solution to the problem; On 7 May 1999, HE the President of the Republic, Jorge Sampaio, made a speech announcing the agreement on East Timor (the New York Agreement). Lusa The following excerpt from his speech showed the country’s awareness of the fact that the referendum was only the beginning of a new phase and that Portugal would still remain there after the vote: (...) “Portugal is prepared to undertake all its commitments resulting from the agreement, both before and after the referendum. In this framework, I would like to underline our continuing willingness to accept all Portugal’s responsibilities as an administrating power. If the Timorese choose independence, Portugal will be ready to cooperate, as a member of the United Nations, in Timor’s peaceful transition to independence, especially from the point of view of political institutions, administration and security” (..). The New York Agreements 5 EASTTIMOR The action of the militias and the deterioration of Humanitarian conditions in East Timor been to prevent them from participating in the referendum. In May, the number of refugees in the Eduardo Gageiro Eduardo camps was calculated at 44,388, 98 percent of whom were women and children. The East Timor Department of Social Affairs estimate was 14,236 refugees. At the same time, Caritas presented a figure of 44,388, while in July its estimate was 85,231, almost twice as many as in May. Regarding registration for the referendum, the UN estimated that there were about 400,000 potential voters in East Timor and 35,000 in the rest of the world. The United Nations decided to set up 200 registration stations in East Timor and 13 for Timorese living abroad: 5 in Indonesia, 4 in Australia, 1 in Portugal, 1 in Macao, 1 in New York At the end of 1998, and especially in cities. and 1 in Mozambique. early 1999, thousands of Timorese had Guarded camps were set up where to flee the Indonesian army, or the pro- the people were forced to “take The United Nations Mission, UNAMET, integration militias armed by the refuge”, mostly near the Indonesian was in charge of the registration Indonesian military, and seek refuge in border. The immediate reason for process in East Timor, while abroad it the mountains, churches or the major putting them there seems to have was the responsibility of the International Organisation for Migration and, in Australia, of the Australian National Election Commission. During the voters’ registration process Eduardo Gageiro Eduardo the population was, on occasions harassed or intimidated by the militias and Indonesian troops. For logistical and security reasons, the Secretary-General of the United Nations asked for voter registration to be postponed until 13 July and for the ballot to be put off, first from 8 to 22 August and later to 30 August. After the referendum of 30 August, in which 78.5 percent of the Timorese voted in favour of independence from Indonesia, the Indonesian army and the militias they had created went on such a rampage of violence and destruction that thousands of Timorese sought refuge in Indonesia The action of the militias and the deterioration of HUMANITARIAN conditions 6 EASTTIMOR The Commissioner to support the transition in East Timor Work began The Solidarity Fund and the It was publicly announced that some Development Company of it would be used to pay a immediately after the humanitarian aid subsidy in escudos Commissioner, Vitor Where civil society was concerned and to Timorese civil servants, who had to ensure co-operation between the received no salaries since 4 August Melícias, took office on Government and non-governmental 1999.4 7 June, and a small organizations, the Commissioner Office was set up, invited a group of institutional A civil society Development Company representatives of the sectors of civil was also set up to sponsor the counting on the society most closely involved in creation and revitalisation of business occasional help of supporting East Timor to set up a and economic development in East Solidarity Fund in a bank account open Timor. The holding company, HARII – volunteers. to voluntary donations from Sociedade para o Desenvolvimento de institutions, companies and private Timor Lorosae, SGPS, S.A, was citizens. This Portugal / Timor launched on 23 August 1999, in a In order to implement the Solidarity Fund, which was opened public ceremony at Belém Palace, in Government’s international policy, and at the Caixa Geral de Depósitos and the presence of the President and following the report on the situation in managed by the Commissioner’s Prime Minister of Portugal. The East Timor, which was approved and Office, received thousands of company’s promoters undertook to accepted by the Council of Ministers contributions from anonymous subscribe a share capital of PTE one as the basis for Portuguese citizens, institutions and companies. billion. Through this company, the cooperation in East Timor, Decree-Law In December the balance of the Portuguese Government will make PTE 189-A/99 of 4 June created the account was PTE 108,125,782.20. one billion available to invest in position of Commissioner to Support the Transition in East Timor (CSTET). The job of this commissioner would be to “coordinate and implement support Data on 31 May 2000 programs and actions” during the PORTUGAL TIMOR SOLIDARITY FUND transition period laid down in the New DONATIONS RECEIVED 1 178 102 815,00 York Agreements of 5 May 1999.1 FUNDING GIVEN BY THE CSTET Work began immediately after the Timorese community 2 380 628,00 Commissioner, Vitor Melícias, took Timor pavilion 1 975 950,00 office on 7 June, and a small Office Chartering humanitarian flights 106 122 822,00 was set up, counting on the occasional Study grants for Timorese students 31 224 500,00 help of volunteers2. In order to co- Drugs 15 258 969,00 -ordinate the different bilateral and Subsidies to Timorese ex-public servants 586 145 000,00 multilateral cooperation and support Portuguese NGO’s 69 727 000,00 programs, initiatives and activities Food for FALINTIL 10 000 000,00 promoted by the Government or Humanitarian mission 10 000 000,00 Portuguese civil society, in addition to Other funding, press and culture 5 577 350,00 his Office, the Commissioner set up an The Church in Timor 5 000 000,00 Inter-ministerial Committee3 and was Fire-fighters in Timor 3 000 000,00 given a budget including operating Total (Funding given by the CSTET) 846 412 219,00 funds and funds for co-operation and support. 1See sphere of activities of the CSTET, attached 2 See organisation chart. 3 See Decree-LAW n.° 189-A/99 of 4 June, Article 4, n.° 1, attached. 4 Support was provided to about 18,000 families. The Commissioner to supportthe transition in East Timor 7 EASTTIMOR reconstruction work, giving priority intervention by qualified civil In Portugal, the support for the to work of historical, symbolic and institutions or organisations, though Timorese included not only reception operational interest to Portugal.5 action could be taken or at least programs organised by the Social headed by the appropriate ministry or Security services and the Permanent The co-ordination of co-operation with public department, if material Committee for the Reception and organised civil society has been requirements or the urgency, specific Social Insertion of the Timorese established by agreements on characteristics or funding requirements Community, but also informative procedures with entities representing of the intervention dictated. sessions about the referendum, the different sectors: organised by UN-Portugal, to which • The NGO platform; The CSTET provided or promoted the Commissioner made a financial • The Development Company; logistical support and could take over contribution. These sessions, parties, • The National Association of the general co-ordination if there were meetings and community celebrations Municipalities; a number of participants from not only helped to clear up obvious • Universities (Foundation and Council different sectors, involving, for doubts about the referendum process of Deans); example, government bodies and civil but also served to calm the fears that organisations, which was the case of the Timorese had about the post The main areas of activity by the the Timor ‘99 Humanitarian Mission.