EAST TIMOR
(Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste)
Updated 26 October 2006
Capital: Dili
Government type: Republic
Independence: 28 November 1975 (from Portugal)
20 May 2002 (from Indonesia)
Chief of State: President Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao (since 20 May 2002);
Head of Government: Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta (since 10 July 2006); First Deputy Prime Minister Estanlislau Maria Alexio da Silva (since 10 July 2006); Second Deputy Prime Minister Rui Maria do Araujo (since 10 July 2006)
State Religion: None
Statistics
Population: 1,062,777 (July 2006 est. / UN:1,007,000) Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority, Mestizos (mixed race people)
Religions (estimated): Roman Catholic 90% (SEAPC, 89%), Muslim 5% (SEAPC, 1%), Protestant 3% (SEAPC, 7%), Most citizens also retained some vestiges of animistic beliefs and practices.
Population below poverty line: 42% (2003 est.)
Timor-Leste has the lowest per capita GDP in the world of only USD400 (which corresponds to the 192nd, and last, position). It is the only Portuguese-speaking country in Asia and one of the eight in the world. East Timor's two official languages are Portuguese and Tetum. However, according to UNDP 2006 Report, less than 5% of the Timorese is literate in Portuguese. Tetum remains the most common means of communication.
Political Development & Human Rights
In April 2006, Timor-Leste slid into a complex political, social and security crisis. A rally in support of 591 soldiers, who were dismissed for deserting their barracks, turned into riots in Dili. At the height of the crisis, approximately 150,000 people --or two-thirds of Dili's population-- were displaced from their homes, prompting an international appeal for humanitarian assistance. The month of May saw a series of clashes between the army and the police, and on 24 May, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Portugal sent troops to help restore order.
On 21 June 2006, President Xanana Gusmao formally requested Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri to step down. A majority of Fretlin party members had demanded the prime minister's resignation, accusing him of lying about distributing weapons to civilians. Jose Ramos Horta was appointed as his successor on 8 July.
Despite robust planning and sound fiscal management as well as a recent significant boost in national income from oil revenues, the country faces major socio-economic challenges and political instability due to structural weaknesses e.g. very weak economic growth, poor service delivery, high unemployment, and very high population growth.
The country is still in the process of building its administration and governmental institutions. The challenges are:
- The shortage of administration and management skills and a centralized system.
- Ineffective service delivery, particularly the delivery of tangible services - health, education, electricity and water partly due to poor infrastructure.
- The country’s young demographic means a large number of youth entering the job market every year. Unemployment in rural areas is at least 20% and it reaches 43% among urban youth.
- The judicial system and criminal institutions remain weak. Human Right Watch reports that they often fail to provide justice for victims of sexual violence and other serious crimes.
Justice is yet to be given to the victims of atrocities that accompanied Indonesian’s rule and eventual withdrawal from Timor-Leste. Efforts to promote national reconciliation and truth-seeking are still ongoing.
Religious Freedom
The government generally protects the Constitutional provision for freedom of conscience, religion, and worship for all persons; it stipulates that no one shall be persecuted or discriminated against on the basis of religious convictions. There is no official state religion, although Catholicism remains dominant and is acknowledged in the Constitution. Most designated public holidays are Catholic holy days, including Good Friday, Assumption Day, All Saints' Day, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and Christmas.
- The strong and pervasive influence of the Catholic Church may sometimes affect the decisions of government officials. However, members of Protestant churches and the Islamic community also have some political influence and held high positions in the executive branch of government, the military, and the National Parliament.
- Outside of the capital, non-Catholic religious groups sometimes have been viewed with suspicion.
- At times non-Catholic Christian groups have been harassed. According to Protestant leaders, individuals converting from Catholicism to Protestantism are often subject to harassment by family members and neighbours. In some cases clergy and missionaries have reportedly been threatened or assaulted.
- Some Muslim groups at times have also been victims of harassment.
- The ethnic Malay Muslims fear integration into the community at large. Their disputes with Muslims of Arab descent stem chiefly from disagreements about property rights and from the disputed citizenship claims of ethnic Malay residents.
In general, relationship among religious groups is amicable. Most Protestant leaders report that Catholic Church officials and government authorities have been helpful in resolving disputes and conflicts when they occur.
The Church
There are about 13 Protestant denominations with the Protestant Timo Lorosae Church being the largest, i.e. 17,000 members. Protestant Christians find it difficult to plant churches in Catholic dominant districts and evangelism is often hindered by strong opposition from the Catholics.
The Church is also confronted with challenges such as syncretism, unforgiveness, spiritual idolatry and poverty.
They shall be My people, and I will be their God; And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul (Jeremiah 32:38-41)
Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house that you could build for Me? And where is the place that I may rest? For My hand made all these things, thus all these things come into being," declares the LORD. "But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word (Isaiah 66:1-2).
Continue to pray:
- Political stability with efficient and righteous government under the new PM Ramos-Horta.
- For men and women of integrity, of wisdom and ability to be in the leadership positions in the process of building the administration and governmental institutions.
- Effective service delivery and manpower
- Good infrastructure facilities and business investment, especially in the rural areas, to create gainful employment.
- Sound policies that will effectively eradicate poverty and improve economic performance.
- Wisdom, good stewardship and skill in utilising the nation’s rich resources
- Transparent, independent and strong judiciary system. Against all forms discrimination; for protection and respect for women and those who are of the minority religious groups.
- Against spiritual blindness, idolatry, violence and lawlessness.
- Restoration, reconciliation and healing to take place.
- The Church:
- Unity, perseverance and courage, continue to be salt and light in all areas.
- Forgiveness, repentance, renewal, commitment and faithfulness
- Be the bridge for national reconciliation, and play significant role in nation-building
- Strategic leadership training and church planting.
- Strategic networking with churches in SEA.
- Smooth progress in bible translation in Tetum language.
Reference:
- CIA Factbook, Oct 5, 2006.
- Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2005, released March 2006
- International Religious Freedom Report September 2006
- Amnesty International 2006
- Human Rights Watch World Report 2006
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East Timor
- Robbie B. H. Goh, Christianity in Southeast Asia. Singapore: ISEAS Pub., 2005.
- The 4th Southeast Asia Prayer Consultation (SEAPC), 10-14 October 2006. Batam, Indonesia.
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