A Lesson in Nation-Building

On Sunday, East Timor was a territory ruled by Portuguese colonists for four centuries and Indonesia for nearly 25 years. On Monday, it was an independent nation, one of the poorest in the world but also a concrete example of the power of the United Nations to do good.

The new president, Jose Alexandre Gusmao, won a landslide election in April in balloting that was an important part of the transformation of the eastern half of Timor island from centuries of dependency to a free, democratic nation. Gusmao deserves credit for reaching out to Indonesia to heal the wounds caused by brutal Indonesian repression. He visited Jakarta to invite Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri to the independence celebrations, and she accepted. Some members of the Indonesian Parliament pressured her to boycott the ceremonies, contending that her presence would support a territory the legislators insisted is still an integral part of Indonesia. Megawati was right to spurn that advice. The thousands of East Timorese gathered for the celebrations cheered her as Gusmao clasped her hand.

Even the economic picture is looking up a bit. Energy companies have agreed to seek and develop oil and gas supplies in the Timor Sea.

Three years ago, Indonesian soldiers and their pawns in local militias killed an estimated 1,000 people and burned hundreds of homes after East Timorese voted for independence. Violence ended soon after the arrival of U.N. peacekeepers; building a civil society has taken longer. International experts helped develop a police force and staffed government ministries, showing East Timorese how to handle their own affairs.

East Timor is not a template for Afghanistan, but it does offer lessons in building a nation. Security is vital; armed enemies must be routed and factionalism among the victors ended. Political institutions must allow for economic development.

It is also encouraging that Indonesia finally has begun trials of army officers accused of human rights abuses in East Timor. The trials have been delayed too long, and the chances of gaining convictions in a land where the military has always played a major role are questionable. The proceedings at least recognize demands for accountability. East Timor convicted 10 former militia members for their roles in the violence, but most remain at large in West Timor. Gusmao has urged reconciliation rather than revenge and helped form a South Africa-style commission on truth and reconciliation.

Gusmao, who led guerrillas fighting for independence and was jailed for seven years, will have much less power as president than the country’s prime minister. But his presence in government is an important symbol of East Timor’s ascent to independence.