Rising from the Ashes

This book, Rising from the Ashes: UN Peacebuilding in Timor-Leste, provides an in-depth look into the UN's first experiment in governing and building peace in the aftermath of conflict, using East Timor as a case study. It examines how the Timorese have progressed after the UN left and the challenges that lie ahead. The book is covered in two parts: in the first part, the book examines the UN's role after it entered East Timor in 1999 as the de facto government; and in the second part, the book examines how Timor-Leste has progressed in peacebuilding after the UN's withdrawal in 2012. Rising from the Ashes: UN Peacebuilding in Timor-Leste is based on the author's first-hand experience working in the UN as it restored law and order and built a state in a country without a government, any infrastructure, or human resources. The book argues that peacebuilding is a long-term endeavor and is a work in progress in Timor-Leste, based on the good foundations laid by the UN. However, like many other developing countries, Timor-Leste has enormous challenges to address; but it also has oil resources and a young population. Its future success will depend on how its oil wealth is managed and distributed, whether it is able to bridge the urban–rural divisions in the country, provide employment for its burgeoning population, and progress economically. Last, but not least, its future success will also depend importantly, on how its leadership deals with past, namely, the continuing intra-elite divisions that are a legacy of its troubled history. They have to transcend past divisions and unite Timorese society for the future development of the country. The book ends with a set of recommendations for Timor-Leste and for the region, namely members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).Contents: The UN and Beginning of Peacebuilding 1999 to 2012: The Concept of Post-Conflict Peacebuilding UN Transitional Administrations The UN and East Timor: A Brief History UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) (October 1999 to May 2002) Return to Timor-Leste: UNMISET and UNOTIL (December 2002 to August 2006) The 2006 Political/Military Crisis A New UN Mission: UNMIT, 2006 UNMIT: The View from New York (September 2006 to October 2008) 2012: The End of UNMIT and UN Peacekeeping Presence in Timor-Leste Peacebuilding Continues: The Current Situation in Timor-Leste: The Political System in Timor-Leste The Current Political Situation The Security Institutions Youths, Martial Arts Groups and the Veterans The Justice System: The Rule of Law The Economic Situation Foreign Policy and Relations with Indonesia ASEAN and Relations with Other Countries Timor-Leste's Continuing Challenges Readership: Professionals and policy makers in government especially in the ASEAN countries, the UN, research institutes, think tanks, graduate students doing research or writing on the UN, scholars with an interest in Southeast Asia, experts on oil resources and their use by developing countries. Peacekeeping;Peacebuilding;United Nations;UN;Nation Building;Timor-Leste;East Timor;Politics;Governance;Government;ASEAN0Key Features: This book is different from other existing literature on Timor-Leste, as it is a first-hand account of the UN's role in peacebuilding in the country. It is based on the observations of the author who worked with the UN in the initial years of the UN intervention, and then re-visited the country in early 2018 to assess the current state of the peacebuilding effort. Articles that have been written on the UN role, have been limited to specific subjects, and particular periods of time in the past There has not been a holistic appraisal of the UN role in Timor-Leste, the challenges faced by the UN, the reasons for the "mistakes" made by the UN as alleged by some of these writers, nor the sensitive dynamics between the UN and a sovereign government. The book provides an analysis of the difficult interplay between international and local...