Children in the Ermera coffee-growing district of Timor Leste. Photo courtesy Guarda National Republicana.
3 September 2007
By Squadron Leader Lorena Thomas
Since 1999, UN personnel have been continuously deployed in Timor-Leste to assist and support the Timorese people. Today, we are in the land of crocodiles and coffee to fulfill a very different role from those that have gone before.
While we first came here to assist an emerging country rebuild itself and recover from a long struggle, we are now assisting the second democratically elected President, and his new government to solidify, stabilise and make the young democracy sustainable. With over 3,000 people from 86 countries, the UN Integrated Mission in Timor Leste (UNMIT) aims to contribute towards Timor-Leste in the areas of security, electoral support, development , and the strengthening of democracy and rule of law.
Within that broad role, UNMIT’s Military Liaison Group (MLG) of 36 personnel represents 14 of those 86 countries. Comprised of a HQ element, staff officers and liaison officers (MLOs), New Zealand provides the Chief Military Liaison Officer (Col Graeme Williams) and one MLO.
This relatively unknown mission is responsible for monitoring the security environment to provide military advice to the UN’s Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG). This allows the SRSG to develop policies to ensure the restoration and maintenance of public security. Put simply, the MLOs are the 'eyes and ears' of the UN regarding security matters.
As unarmed military officers, the MLOs have a unique role within Timor Leste. Deployed to five regions, we liaise with all organisations involved in the maintenance of security. This includes the military, police, physical and environmental security, terrorism, natural disasters, health matters, transport or energy security to name a few. With my Fijian team-mate (Lt Col Waka Naivalu) we talk to the developing Timorese Armed Forces and the Timorese Police Force, including the border patrol and Military Police and intervention units. We compare notes and swap information with the UN Police force and the pseudo-armies of the Formed Police Units (FPU) and maintain close contact with the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) ANZAC battle group.
For the four MLOs based in Dili, hours are often long and physically tiring, and a day off comes around very infrequently. However, it provides a unique perspective on the way the country ‘ticks’ and a thorough insight into the complexities of security here.
For a Kiwi in a blue beret and big white 4WD, there are a number of interesting aspects working in a city which could flare up into lawlessness at any time. Under the UN, I have the luxury of significant freedoms which my ISF colleagues do not have (but they all have the security of being armed and the esprit de corps that is part of contingent life). MLOs live and work within the local community, eat when we like, where we like, travel how and where we like (most of the time) and can even have a beer or two to celebrate an All Blacks victory. As far as being the MLG’s only female MLO, that too has been interesting. On one hand, some village elders are initially reluctant to talk to a female, but on the other, my ‘novelty value’ has opened up many doors for myself and Waka and has allowed us to follow up new and unusual contacts.
So is this somewhat forgotten mission worth it? You bet! You really can live in a fledgling democracy and be an integral part of the community. You can run along the shoreline at sunset every evening then dine out on fish caught 100m away on the coral reef. You can drink the most fantastic coffee in small cafés and chat to the giggling waitresses as they attempt to earn enough to pay for their college education. You can kick a football around in the dust with the teenage boys as they dream of being the next Ronaldo while they squabble over who will wash your car for you. You can dance until dawn on the beach under the stars with people from all over the world and myriad NGOs, then dust the sand off your toes, pull on your boots and head off for the activities of another day.
However, this mission is no party and this country no holiday camp. As I write, once again Timor-Leste burns after another night of violence and arson and the roads are ruled by armed gangs with illegal road blocks. My vehicle, with dented panels, smashed windows and broken widescreen is just one of many casualties of the latest outburst of violence, but this is all part of life as an MLO in Timor Leste. The recent disturbances bring to mind all too clearly that this country is where NZ has lost the lives of five peacekeepers and the UN a total of 71 since 1999.
50% unemployment, 100,000 displaced persons, poverty and hunger are as evident here as the scrawny dogs and wildlife roaming the potholed dusty streets. Away from the city lights of Dili, MLOs in the districts have it a lot harder. Often dinner has to be caught and slaughtered, and there's the challenge of finding something new and interesting to do with rice. Even the espresso associated with Dili’s café culture is substituted by instant sachets! The (relatively) comfortable 4WDs are often replaced by bony Timor ponies when the roads totally disappear. Entertainment is whatever we have loaded on the MP3 player. However, the camaraderie within the MLG teams makes up for the domestic hardships.
The diplomatic irony of the only NZ MLO being the team-mate of the only Fijian MLO was not lost on either of us, as we are aware what whatever goes on in international politics in the rest of the world, it is the boots on the ground that makes a difference here. It is refreshing that the ‘Pacific’ team is often welcomed with cries of “Kiwi Kiwi Kiwi”, “Bula Bula” or “Kia Ora bro”.
Sometimes the glacial pace of bureaucracy and the underlying lawlessness makes it desperately frustrating here, and I wonder what the future holds for the Timorese. Yet, being a UN MLO and getting into places where the ISF can’t means that the Kiwi can fly further than if we MLOs were not here. It is reassuring that the Kiwi badge and NZ flag on one arm carries as much respect as the UN badge on the other one.
Even if there wasn’t the coffee or any of the hundred other reasons to come here, this is a great place for a New Zealander to be.
See latest images from Timor Leste