East Timor
Veerendra Mishra

Introduction

Timor with a total area of 15,007 sq kms, is less than 400 km north of
Australia, separated from that continent by the Timor Sea. To the northwest
lie the Indonesian islands separated by as little as 50 km by the Sawu Sea,
while in the northeast the Indonesian islands are separated by Wetar Strait,
only 18km away from Atauro, one of the islands of Timor Leste (East Timor).
Timor is a part of Australian continental shelf.


East Timor or Timor Leste is a new country with tumultuous past. As any new
born country would have, Timor Leste is also facing the challenges of
transition into freedom. It has a short history of seven years of
independence nurturing under the umbrella of United Nations, which has been
existing since 1999 in one or the other form. The UNMIT mission still
continues.


The constitution of Timor Leste accepts Tetum (local) and Portuguese as the
two official languages. English and Bahasa (Indonesian) have been
acknowledged as working languages. It makes a very simple reading on paper,
but in actuality the situation in Timor Leste has become volatile and
explosive creating a chaos everywhere just because of the preference of
specific languages as working and official. There is hardship faced in
disbursing of official business and operational work. There is lot of
uncertainty about the choice of medium of instruction in meetings; imparting
education in schools, universities; conducting workshops, seminar; and
consequently there is fallout on daily life. There is indecisiveness amongst
the youth about the language they should focus on to build their career. The
intellectuals of the country have been questioning the plausibility of the
choice of language as official. There had been discussions in the past over
the correctness of decision but now it has become an obscure movement
questioning the very loyalty of the decision makers towards the country.
This uneasiness amongst the intellectuals and discomfort of a common man is
a matter of concern and is what bothers. How serious is that concern needs
to be examined by understanding the history a bit and the situation
prevailing in Timor Leste.


*History*


Timor had been a source of sandalwood, honey and wax for Chinese traders
since at least the 1300s. The first Portuguese traders reached Timor, near
the coast of Oecussi (in Timor), around 1509 and gradually expanded their
influence and made it a full fledged colony. The process of decolonisation
of Timor began in 1974, in the wake of Portugal’s “Carnation Revolution”.
East Timorese were given freedom to form their own political parties, the
most prominent being the Timorese Democratic Union (UDT), which supported
gradual independence as well as association with Portugal, and the
pro-independence Revolutionary Front for an Independent Timor-Leste
(FRETILIN), which supported full independence. Portugal sought to establish
a provisional government and a popular assembly that would determine the
status of Timor-Leste, but civil war broke out between the two main
political parties. On 11 August 1975, the UDT launched a coup to seize power
but was defeated by FRETILIN, and its members fled to West Timor. FRETILIN
was left with control of Timor-Leste. A unilateral declaration of
independence followed on 28 November 1975. Before the declaration could be
internationally recognised, however, Indonesian forces invaded and occupied
the newly born Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste (RDTL) eventually
annexing it as the twenty seventh Indonesian province. Some 60,000 people
are believed to have died during the initial period of the invasion. The UN
never recognized this integration, and both the Security Council and the
General Assembly called for Indonesia’s withdrawal. Timor-Leste’s official
international status remained that of a “non-self-governing territory under
Portuguese administration”. FALINTIL, the military arm of FRETILIN, began
its guerrilla campaign against the Indonesian forces.


Indonesian rule in Timor-Leste was violent and dictatorial. Unlike the
Portuguese, the Indonesians favoured strong, direct rule, which was not
accepted by the Timorese who were determined to preserve their culture and
national identity. Death tolls between 1975 and the early 1980s due to a
combination of attacks on civilian population, disease and famine are
estimated to be up to two lakh. In an effort to obtain greater control over
its descendants new province Indonesia invested considerable financial
resources in Timor-Leste, leading to economic growth averaging 6% per year
over the period 1983 to 1997.


In May 5th, 1999, UN brokered agreement with Portugal to hold a referendum
or “popular consultation” on the options of autonomy within Indonesia or
full independence. Despite a sustained intimidation campaign launched by the
Indonesian military using “militia” as proxy, on 30 August 1999, the
Timorese population voted overwhelmingly for independence (78.5%). The
Indonesian armed forces and their militia responded with extra ordinary
brutality. The entire territory was laid waste-some 80% of buildings were
looted and burned, all government records were lost, and most of the
physical structure was destroyed. One third of the population was forcibly
displaced to West Timor and other neighboring islands. The rest of the
population sought refuge in the mountains.


Independence came, officially, on 20 May 2002 with the inauguration of
President and Prime Minister.


*UNs Presence*


United Nations since agreement signed on 5th May 1999 in New York has
remained in Timor-Leste in different forms.


On 11 June 1999, United Nations Mission in Timor-Leste (UNAMET) came into
existence to conduct “Popular Consultation”, a referendum to choose between
Independence and autonomy under Indonesia. After that on 25th October, the
Security Council established the United Nations Transitional Administration
in Timor-Leste (UNTAET) as an integrated, multidimensional peacekeeping
operation fully responsible for the administration of Timor-Leste during its
transition to independence. When Timor-Leste’s independence was restored on
20 May 2002, UNTAET was succeeded by the United Nations Mission of Support
in Timor-Leste (UNMISET) established on 17th May 2002 to provide assistance
to core administrative structures critical to the viability and political
stability of the country and other mandates for post independence support.


The mandate of UNMISET was completed in May 2005 and a successor political
mission, the United Nations office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL), was established
on 20 May 2005 to support the development of critical State institutions.
UNOTIL was scheduled to end its mandate in 2006 but due to fresh violence
and disturbance including assassination bids on President and Prime
Minister, On 25 August 2006, United Nations decided to establish the United
Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) to maintain law and order
until the national police of Timor Leste (PNTL) could undergo reorganization
and restructuring. If the hearsay is to be believed then UNMIT will wind up
its mission by 2012.


*Language situation *


Having in background the knowledge of history, it will be easy to comprehend
the prevailing complexity of languages.


The Portuguese during their colonial rule adopted Tetum as working language,
one of the twenty odd local languages of East Timor, along with Portuguese.
Tetum spread all over the country with almost 60% of people speaking it and
80% of area covered. Portuguese became an official language but literally
understood only to those who had been part of education system or in job.
Portuguese adopted a policy of non-interference and education system was not
very much developed. Even the propagation of Christianity was in local
language, Tetum. So, Portuguese was known to only those who had been to
schools, colleges and in job under Portuguese, before 1975. Tetum remained
the most popular language.


After Indonesian army’s take over in 1975, the use of Portuguese language
almost vanished. Indonesians, who believed in direct control, introduced
Bahasa (Indonesian language) and Tetum as languages. The educational system
was developed and institutions established and Bahasa became a medium of
instruction. Far more East Timorese went to university in Indonesia post-
1975 than ever went on to further education in Portugal pre-1975. Due to
their direct involvement Bahasa became a very popular language and almost
everybody started speaking and understanding the language. It is estimated
that 60% of the East Timorese speak Bahasa. During the Indonesian tyrannical
rule almost one third of the country’s population got killed. In the twenty
four years of constant war for independence most of the rebels died who
belonged to the Portuguese era. A new generation which grew to become youth
belonged to Bahasa epoch. Portuguese as a language virtually had become a
history for most.


In 1999 with the advent of UN mission, English became an official language
of operation. It was an English speaking mission. The youth understood the
charm of English and they started learning the language, which became an
instant hope of employment. The Australian influence on Timor can also not
be discounted. The English movies are very popular here and the mass
unemployed youth whose passion is to play guitar can be found playing and
singing either Bahasa or English songs. Every fifth youth can be seen trying
hard to utter few English words to catch attention of the international.
Though proper and very reliable census is not ...