An unprecedented video message
from United Nations Secretary General Kofi
Annan urges the people of East Timor to vote
in upcoming elections. The video will be nationally
screened prior to the August 30 Constituent
Assembly elections in an effort to promote
and increase voter turnout. The Assembly's
first task is to draft a constitution for the
fledgling country.
"The
eyes of the world are on you once again," said
Annan. "I urge you now to vote. In a democracy,
that is both your right and your responsibility."
The elections fall, by no coincidence, on the
two year anniversary of East Timor's referendum
on independence from Indonesia, which a large
majority of East Timorese supported. The province
was plagued with widespread violence following
the 1999 referendum, orchestrated mainly by pro
integration Jakarta-supported militia. The UN
estimated that during that time more than 500,000
people were displaced from their homes, with
many fleeing the territory entirely.
The United Nations Transitional Administration
in East Timor (UNTAET) was established in October
1999 to administer the territory and exercise
legislative and executive authority during the
transitional period. Some 820 UN volunteers are
currently working with UNTAET, including recent
arrivals assigned to oversee the election.
Annan stressed
the UN support of the East Timorese, "heroic
efforts to rebuild (their) lives, revive (their)
communities, reestablish the institutions of
government and administration and take control
of (their) future." Indeed, the UN has been
a long-time supporter of East Timor, never even
recognizing it as an Indonesian province when
it was annexed in 1974.
Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Secretary General's
Special Representative in the territory, has
tried to make sure women are fairly represented
in the elections. Vieira de Mello oversaw training
for a group of women who were to stand in the
elections. The Gender and Constitution Working
Group, which recently organized a seminar for
50 women, has created a charter of rights for
East Timorese women, which they hope will be
included in the future constitution.
Annan expressed
optimism for the elections, telling the East
Timorese, "You have clearly
embraced the democratic process with great integrity
and zeal." To continue, he said, they now
need to elect the 88 representatives, from a
dozen contending political parties, who will
draft a constitution to govern the two-year-old
country. "Viva Timor Lorosa'e!"
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