Timor-Leste’s road to peace has not been easy. In 1976, not long after Indonesia became independent it invaded the eastern part of the island of Timor, formerly a Portuguese colony.
UN and Timor Police Prepare for Presidential Elections in 2012.
Major Pinto said that during the struggle for freedom, the Timorese simultaneously developed military and political skills. Now they are exporting this experience, fostering dialogue between warring parties in other countries, encouraging them to find common cause.
Timorese soldiers have taken part in peacekeeping missions in Kosovo and Lebanon and, since 2011, the country has provided military observers to the South Sudan mission.
One of those observers, Major Zequito Ximenes, told UN News that the UN role in bringing peace to his country was influential in his decision to become a blue helmet. “I wanted to contribute to similar missions around the world and make a difference in conflict-affected regions.”
There has been a peacekeeping operations training centre in Timor-Leste since 2018, preparing male and female military personnel for UN missions. The country is prepared to send more peacekeepers to work in areas such as rescue and protection, and a company of engineers, for the building of roads and schools.
To prevent a return to war, Timorese leaders prioritized national reconciliation, and the normalization of relations with Indonesia. These choices, and the support of the international community, have made the country a model for post-conflict stabilization and show a path to peace and security is possible.