History in the making
Re-building East Timor - The birth of an independent democratic nation
Case Study
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| Teacher's Notes | Student Activities |
| Introduction |
In the last few decades, countries all over the world have been making the transition to independence and democracy. Why is this? Research suggests that developing countries that embrace democracy have better human rights records and better development prospects than those that don't. This case study looks at the principles and values of democracy, and the skills and knowledge people need if they are to become effective democratic citizens. It does this by examining the political, social and educational processes East Timor must go through in order to become an independent democratic state.
East Timor has experienced wide scale destruction on all levels. While it is essential to rebuild physical infrastructures such as homes, roads, power stations and bridges it is equally important to re-build the political and administrative infrastructures that provide the framework within which all social and business interactions occur. The quality of these infrastructures will have a significant impact on East Timor's capacity to sustain a democratic state and to provide a secure long-term future for its citizens. Electoral systems are of particular importance in guaranteeing fair elections that accurately represent the will of the people.
| Why a democracy for East Timor? |
East Timor is a country in transition. It is currently moving from several centuries of foreign power into a new era of democratic self government. In November 1975, East Timor declared its independence from Portuguese rule and announced itself as a sovereign state. However, a week later the Indonesian military moved in. By July 1976 Indonesia had consolidated its rule and declared East Timor as its 27th Province. This situation continued until 1999.
The East Timorese were determined to gain independence and by August 1999 they had achieved sufficient support from the international community to hold a United Nations (UN) backed referendum. In this referendum 78.5% of East Timorese people voted for independence from Indonesia. However, a small faction of East Timorese wished to remain part of Indonesia and refused to accept the results. Consequently, the weeks following the referendum were filled with chaos and wide scale destruction. Many East Timorese were killed or forcibly removing from the region. In September 1999, the Indonesian government allowed the United Nations (UN) to send in an Australian led international force, INTERFET, to restore order.
East Timor had gained independence but at a huge cost. Loss of life was accompanied by wide scale destruction of East Timor's physical, social and administrative infrastructure. Many homes, power installations, bridges, hospitals, schools, government buildings and administrative records were destroyed.
The path towards an independent democracy has not been an easy one for East Timor, so what makes it worth such a struggle? Why is it so important for the East Timorese to make sure that their country is truly democratic? A major factor in people's willingness to fight for democracy is that it gives all of its citizens the opportunity to vote and to be involved in the running of their country. This is a powerful incentive for people who have been disempowered, who have long lacked a sense of control over how their lives are ordered and who have been subject to outside control and human rights abuses. While Indonesia funded physical infrastructure development, many East Timorese people felt largely excluded from the political process. Indonesian was made the official East Timorese language and many government administrative positions were taken by people from other parts of Indonesia rather than East Timorese. Many East Timorese people felt disempowered.
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| East Timor on the road to an independent democracy. |
Democracy is regarded by many countries as being the most effective and fairest system of government. In a democracy, bad governments can be voted out and this provides governments with an incentive to implement policies that will be good for the whole country and not just a favoured minority. An effective democracy which has good institutions and active and informed citizens is more likely to represent the interests of the general community than are other types of governing systems. A democratic regime, in which people have political and civil rights, makes it possible for people to place pressure on governments to meet their needs.
| Democracy - the key characteristics |
After a degree of peace and order had been restored to East Timor some thought could be given to the immense task of re-building. Two interim bodies were set up to oversee the administration of East Timor during its transition to independence. The first was made up of United Nations staff and was called the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) and the second was made up of East Timorese people and was called the East Timor Transitional Administration (ETTA). UNTAET and ETTA are currently working with a number of aid agencies to rebuild East Timor. A very important part of rebuilding East Timor is the establishment of a democratic political system which is able to guarantee all East Timorese the civil, political and human rights which they have been denied.
Outlined in the table below are some of the key characteristics which are necessary to a democratic political system:
| Characteristic | Why it is important |
| Human Rights
Civil & political rights - Freedom of information - Freedom of speech - Freedom of association |
For a democracy to be effective, human rights need to be a priority. This means that the government must ensure that basic needs such as food, shelter and health care are met. Education should also be considered a human right and is an essential component of a healthy democracy. It is very difficult for people to participate in the political life of their country if basic needs like these are not met. Freedom of speech and association are very important because it is through the discussing and debating of ideas that people work out what is best for the community as a whole. Freedom of information is essential if people are to make informed decisions based on facts. When people are denied freedom of speech and association they are effectively excluded from the governing process. |
| A government which is transparent and accountable | A government is transparent and accountable when its activities are open to public examination and when it has to justify its expenditure and its decisions to institutions which are independent of the government. On a formal level an example of such an institution is the Auditor General's Department. On a more informal level accountability and transparency are encouraged through parliamentary debates and through a free press. Transparent and accountable practices reduce opportunities for corruption and ensure that governments act in the best interests of the people rather than for the personal enrichment of civil servants or politicians. They are essential if confidence in the democratic system is to be maintained and justified. |
| Independent and impartial legal and judicial system that guarantees the rule of law | The rule of law and an impartial legal system protects the civil rights of all people in relation to their property, personal security and liberty. The legal and judicial system should be independent of the government so that it can serve the interests of its citizens rather than a particular political party. In this way it protects the civil rights of its citizens against a predatory state. |
| A strong civil society | The term democracy means "rule of the people". However, if the people are to truly contribute to the governing process they need to do more than simply vote for a politician; a strong civil society is also necessary. A strong civil society develops when the public is encouraged to discuss and debate issues, when access to information and education is freely available and when ordinary people are encouraged to be involved in community ventures and local decision making processes. |
| Universal adult franchise | This means that all adult citizens are eligible to vote. Voting gives people the power to affect how their country is governed. |
| A politically neutral administration - civil service | It is important that those who are responsible for administering government provide the same level of service and expertise to which ever political party is in power. The aim of their work is to serve the people; the medium through which they do it is the government. |
| A system of local government with a degree of autonomy from the national government | This means that local government should have the ability to make independent decisions about the area it is responsible for. This is important because local governments are in a better position to understand local needs than is the national government. |
| The democracy project - Institutionalising democracy in East Timor |
What does it mean to institutionalise democracy? To institutionalise something is to make it an essential part of society, so that you couldn't even imagine society without it. The successful institutionalisation of democracy in East Timor will accomplish the following objectives:
- The holding of free and fair elections on a regular basis
- The teaching of democratic values and principles in the school curriculum.
- A willingness to protect democratic rights and to issue challenges to those who try to deny them
The development of government administrative structures that are based on democratic principles. This means that they will be designed to be accountable and transparent. This transparency and accountability will help to safeguard the democratic rights of East Timorese citizens.
The institutionalisation of democracy in East Timor faces major obstacles. Due to a long history of colonization, the East Timorese people have no experience of running a large modern democracy. Consequently, they have a lack of expertise in developing and maintaining democratic institutions. To set up the administrative systems that make a modern democracy possible requires money, time and skilled staff, none of which is plentiful in East Timor. However, the international community, represented by the United Nations, is committed to helping East Timor establish an independent democracy. Under the umbrella of the United Nations Transitional Administration for East Timor (UNTAET) a number of aid agencies and non-government organisations have come together to help East Timor establish a democracy.
UNTAET has developed a capacity building program for the organisation and management of the East Timor elections. A variety of "democratisation" projects have been developed under the UNTAET umbrella, two of which this case study examines. The first of these concentrates on increasing the understanding of democratic values and principles and has been developed by the United Nations. It is called "Civic Education for Democracy" and includes material that will become part of the school curriculum and also material designed to be used in community education programs. This project aims to build a strong civil society through increasing awareness and understanding of democratic values and principles. The second project is being funded by the Australian Government. It is being implemented by the Independent Transitional Electoral Commission (ITEC) in collaboration with the East Timor Transitional Administration (ETTA). The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is responsible for the design and management of the project under the immediate supervision of ITEC. This project aims to build the administrative capacity of the East Timorese people so that they can manage future elections without the need of foreign assistance.
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| Good citizenship starts in the classroom. |
| Project One: The Civic Education for Democracy Project (CEDP) |
This project aims to help the East Timorese people develop both the skills and knowledge required if they are to participate fully in their democracy. For this to occur they need to acquire the technical knowledge that will enable them to use democratic processes effectively. The project also aims to help the East Timorese to build a strong civil society through encouraging a sound understanding of democratic values and principles.
The program's objectives are summarised as follows:
| Building knowledge and skills in relation to the technical aspects of a democracy |
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| Building a strong civil society with an awareness of democratic values and principles |
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The Civic Education for Democracy Programme consists of two parts. Part I is the General Civic Education Programme. This focuses on the issues described above and is directed at the general population. Part II is called the Targeted Civic Education Programme. This program has two specific target groups, youth and women. Why focus on youth? In Australia we have a comprehensive education program that is available to all people. However, in East Timor there are many obstacles to education that arise from poverty and from a poorly resourced education system. For instance, at least 30% of children from agricultural families do not attend school because they are needed to work in the fields. In addition, East Timor has a shortage of both trained teachers and resources. The youth program aims to counter these obstacles in the following ways:
- By developing supplementary materials for inclusion into the school curriculum
- By ensuring that youth are aware of their civic rights and the importance of democracy
- By encouraging parents to teach civic education at home
- By encouraging a dialogue between politicians and youth on a regular basis
Women have been targeted for a number of reasons. In the past, men have dominated politics and women have been largely excluded. It is important to remedy this situation and to ensure that women are given equal opportunities for political involvement. Indeed, involving women in the decision making process is an essential part of building a democratic political system. In addition, East Timorese women were at the forefront of the struggle for independence, have been extensively involved in reconstruction and constitute much more than half of East Timor's population. Research on aid programs in developing countries also shows that the results improve significantly when support for women is given special emphasis. Women have already made an outstanding contribution in political and public affairs in East Timor and it is essential to ensure that they are given equal opportunities for continued participation in the rebuilding of East Timor. Women are also largely responsible for childcare and if they are properly informed they can bring their children up to have an awareness of democratic values.
| Project 2: Capacity Building for Future Elections in East Timor |
The role of the East Timorese in the existing UNTAET administration
East Timor does not yet have a democratically elected government. In the violence which followed the 1999 Referendum an interim government, UNTAET, was established by the United Nations. Around July 2000 the UN began preliminary preparations for the elections that would lead East Timor to independence. At this time it was considered appropriate to increase East Timorese participation in the UNTAET Administration so that they could gain experience in making political and administrative decisions within a democratic framework. A number of political structures were set up including a joint East Timorese and UNTAET Cabinet and a transitional East Timorese legislative body called the National Council. The National Council is able to review legislation produced by the UNTAET Government and can produce its own legislation for review by the Cabinet. However, until East Timor is fully independent, all decisions must be agreed to by UNTAET.
The East Timorese people plan to conduct elections in August 2001. The aim of these elections is to elect representatives for a Constituent Assembly. Representatives would be elected from the candidates put forward by the various political parties. Once the Constituent Assembly is elected it will formulate a Constitution that will outline the form and structure of the future East Timorese Government. The Assembly will also set a date for Independence and announce any additional elections that might be necessary before a government can be formed.
The challenge of running an election
Imagine that you live in a country with 800,000 people. Then imagine that you have been asked to deliver a piece of bread to every person in your country. Not only do you have to deliver a piece of bread to every person but every piece of bread has to have that person's name on it and it has to be delivered on the same day. How easy do you think it would be? What would you need to do to make sure that everyone received their piece of bread? Running an election is very similar to the scenario just described. It requires a huge amount of organisation, extensive administration facilities, a large number of staff and a lot of preparation time. It is, in fact, the most comprehensive logistical exercise that will ever happen in a country during peacetime.
East Timor hopes to have its first election in August 2001 and the challenge it will face is very similar to that described above. Unlike Australia, East Timor is not well equipped to deal with such a huge logistical exercise. Many of the things that we take for granted do not exist in East Timor. The gap between Australian facilities and East Timor facilities is outlined in the box below.
| Australia | East Timor |
| Australia has a road network which is in good repair | East Timor is divided into 13 Districts and while the capitals of each District are connected by sealed roads, these are in poor repair. Outside the capitals the road network is inadequate. |
| Australians have easy access to centres where voting booths are set up | There is no public transport system and the inadequacy of the road system outside of the district capitals means that access to small centres is by walking, horseback, farm motorcycle or four-wheel drive vehicles. |
| Australia has a comprehensive electoral role which lists all people who are eligible to vote | East Timor does not have an electoral roll. Currently, ETTA is carrying out a civil registration process from which they hope to extract the information needed for an electoral role. This involves going from village to village using digital cameras, lap top computers, and fingerprint scanners. It is time consuming and full of problems due to transport difficulties and the adverse effect that the weather frequently has on the sensitive equipment. |
| Australia has trained people to run the election centres and provide voters with information | There is no pool of trained people. Currently, UNTAET, ETTA, the AEC and other agencies involved with the election are developing and implementing program to train local people. |
| Administrative infrastructure, for example, standard procedures, record keeping, computer facilities | The East Timorese lack both staff and equipment and are quite reliant on the technological and staffing support they receive from UNTAET. |
East Timor's first election will be heavily supported by the United Nations. However, if East Timor is to become an independent democratic nation it must build an administrative infrastructure that will enable it to manage its own elections in the future. Developing this type of infrastructure is called "capacity building". Electoral capacity building involves developing accountable and transparent administrative procedures, drawing up regulations to govern the electoral process, devising adequate record keeping procedures, compiling an electoral role, and training staff. Outlined below is a brief summary of the project.
| Australian Aid |
Project: Building Capacity for the Administration of Planned Elections in East Timor
Project Rationale - Why the Australian Government considers it a good idea to fund the project
Australia is a part of the Asia Pacific Region and has had a significant involvement in democratic elections within the region. It is within Australia's interests to encourage both political stability and sustainable development in East Timor. The Australian Government considers that this can only be achieved through good governance. This project, in building the capacity of the East Timorese to manage their own elections, will support the development of good governance. An efficient and fair electoral process is an essential pre-requisite for the development of civil society, poverty reduction and sustainable development.
Overall aim of the Project
To help the East Timorese establish a sustainable democracy through building their capacity to manage their own elections.
Method of achieving this aim
This project aims to use the Constituent Assembly elections as an "action learning opportunity" in which the East Timorese can gain the skills and experience they will need to run future elections. This means that it will train large numbers of East Timorese to work in the elections as District Electoral Officers and polling booth officers.
United Nations elections do not normally incorporate capacity building. This is largely because UN sponsored elections are often conducted in a state of emergency and need to be accomplished quickly. In this type of election it is more efficient for the UN to use expensive western technology, to invite minimal local input and to use UN staff rather than to train local people. This type of electoral management is effective in the short term but does not produce a sustainable electoral management system for the country concerned. It does not help to lay the foundation for good electoral administration and is even likely to result in a loss of electoral records. It also does not produce a pool of well-trained electoral officers.
Objectives - What the project hopes to achieve
- To provide a framework within which the Constituent Assembly elections can be used to build the capacity of the East Timorese to manage future elections.
- The establishment and implementation of a training and review program designed to ensure that East Timorese staff recruited for the Constituent Assembly elections can form a pool of trained personnel to be used in future elections.
- The establishment of an office in which electoral documents, records and training materials are maintained.
Major project activity - Training the trainer
The implementation of a 'cascade training' program using an Electoral Administrator's course developed by the Australian Electoral Commission. A cascade program is designed to teach skills in such a way that those who learn the skills can then teach them to others. A cascade program is being used so that the East Timorese can effectively train their own people. It thus provides the East Timorese people with a sustainable, efficient, cost effective, and empowering training technique.
Projected Outcome
A body of up to 4,500 trained staff and a comprehensive collection of records and training materials that have been developed and maintained during the elections. These will then form a nucleus of resources available to a post independence electoral management body.
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