Momentum: Timor-Leste forges a vibrant future
Trust
How do you build a nation from the ashes of conflict? You build trust, earn trust and learn to trust
Trust in one another, the law and public institutions.
The Timor-Leste Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation began a healing process in 2001 for the individuals harmed and the families and communities divided by conflict. East Timorese commissioners heard and recorded the stories of about 8,000 people who suffered during the period 1974 to 1999. By giving testament to these experiences, the commission helped communities and families begin to rebuild trust in one another.
Internally displaced persons have long since returned to their homes, trusting that they are safe within their communities. Trusting that they have a secure future, the people of Timor-Leste are building houses, investing in education, creating small enterprises, marrying later and having fewer children. Some of the East Timorese who were forced to migrate into Indonesia in 1999 have returned home.
The people of Timor-Leste built a democratic system of government underpinned by a constitution. They passed laws guaranteeing citizens the right to food, shelter, education, clean water and sanitation. They ratified seven important international human rights treaties, made domestic violence a crime and established a commission to fight corruption. Through these and other measures, Timor-Leste has achieved momentum in ensuring the rights of its citizens, and started a process of building trust in the law and institutions.
