Conflict Management in International Missions: A Field Guide by Olav Ofstad

Author:Olav Ofstad [Ofstad, Olav]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: International Relations, Peace, Political Science, Security (National & International), General
ISBN: 9781317639015
Google: dIIcBgAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 28024655
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2014-12-08T00:00:00+00:00

6 Peacebuilding

In August 1999 East Timor decided in a UN-supported referendum to break away from Indonesia, after 25 years of occupation. Indonesia-friendly militias responded with massive violence and destruction. The Indonesian army supported the attacks, which forced some 250,000 people to flee their homes. After a negotiated withdrawal of the Indonesian army and deployment of international peacekeeping forces, the international community made a comprehensive effort to build peace in the country. The UN and the World Bank, supported by 50 international donors, contributed US$4 billion. East Timor subsequently gained independence in 2002, and with external threats gone, the new country was relatively peaceful for three years and the peacebuilding was widely considered to be a success. The international community began to withdraw its support and the UN reduced its presence early on. In April/May 2006 internal violence broke out, causing at least 32 deaths and driving some 150,000 people from their homes. A breakdown of the government ensued, and international forces were again brought in. The UN’s first effort to build a state from scratch had failed.

The East Timor case illustrates the complexity of peacebuilding, and research from the years following the crises has provided a number of interesting lessons we draw upon in this chapter.

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