COMMENT: Timor-Leste can learn much from Ireland's recent past and the appointment of Nuala O'Loan as a special envoy is to be welcomed, says Tom Hyland
IN 1999, I wrote an article for The Irish Timesin which I predicted that there would come a time when Ireland would be in a position to take on a special mentoring role in relation to East Timor (now called Timor-Leste) in the areas of education, economic development and job creation.
At that time, many of us were in a state of euphoria following the independence vote. However, a close friend cautioned: "Now comes the hard part". How right she was.
The violent events of February 11th last, in which the president José Ramos-Horta was wounded, and prime minister Xanana Gusmao was attacked, were an indication of the fragility of nation building.
Violence which has been part of the lives of many Timorese over the past three decades is not unconnected to the current situation in Timor-Leste.
However, the situation is now stable and many of the outstanding issues, such as that of internally displaced people and the army petitioners (soldiers who were dismissed from the army in 2006), are now being focused on and addressed.
Recently more than 500 army petitioners, who were holed-up in outlying areas of the country, have returned to the capital Dili in order that their grievances can be addressed.
It should not go unnoticed that there were no outbreaks of violence following the attacks on the Timorese leadership.
The historical connection between Ireland and Timor-Leste and the very positive role played by successive Irish governments during the Timorese independence struggle puts Ireland in a unique position to influence the peace and prosperity of the country.
This position was evidenced recently by the status afforded to the visit of Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern. During the visit, he announced the appointment of former Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan as the special envoy for conflict resolution to Timor- Leste. This appointment was welcomed by there political leaders and civil society.
Ireland has many lessons to share with Timor-Leste vis-a-vis the Northern Ireland peace process and this appointment provides an opportunity for Ireland to impart its experiences on a number of fronts.
In terms of the Irish peace process, Mrs O'Loan, among others, played a key role in restructuring the police service, making it more acceptable and accountable to the minority community based on the Patten Report.
Tentative suggestions by interested parties in Timor-Leste have focused minds on the creation of a community police service that carries widespread acceptance among people with varying political loyalties.
The decision of Mr Ahern to include economic growth and job creation as part of the Irish Aid programme to Timor-Leste is a very welcome initiative.
Ireland, through the Irish Aid Fellowship Programme, has provided training opportunities for young Timorese to study in the Asian region but also, when necessary, study in Ireland.
There are many comparisons between the current economic situation in Timor-Leste and the Ireland of 1970s and early 1980s.
Many people in Timor-Leste ask me how Ireland managed to turn its economy around from the extraordinarily high unemployment rates, low skills base and non-targeted education to become an economy that has a highly educated workforce and reliance upon imported labour.
The answers are many, but I tell them that it was a number of factors including membership of and accessing funds from the European Union, education of our young people and the role of agencies such as Fás in providing training to young people, so that when investment did come we had an educated and skilled workforce in place.
However, none of this could have taken place if the strategic decisions of vibrant and far- sighted individuals and civil servants willing to take some risks were not in place.
Irish State agencies such as Fás and IDA Ireland may be able to assist by playing a role in helping to establish similar agencies in Timor-Leste. Now is the time for Ireland to engage in mentoring roles in strategically selected areas. One example comes to mind, that is the role of the Ireland funds. This was pivotal in promoting peace and reconciliation, supporting education, community-based projects and bringing into the fold those on the margins of society. The establishment of the conflict resolution unit within the Department of Foreign Affairs and choosing Timor-Leste as its first project partner is both a challenge and an opportunity.
Mr Ahern was right when he identified two issues, peace and prosperity, as vital to the success of the Irish "role in assisting the transition to stability and prosperity" in Timor-Leste.
• Tom Hylandhas been highlighting the plight of the East Timorese since 1992. He spends most of his time in the capital Dili.