Dili, 5 February 2010 - SRSG Ameerah Haq held her first meeting with Timorese NGOs and civil society groups at the NGO Forum headquarters in Dili, this week. A group of about 60 people from member organizations discussed a range of issues related to peace, security and development.

"You are the eyes and ears, you know the temperature of the community, and we look forward to working closely with civil society," she told the gathering.

Much of the discussion centred on issues related to policing, law and order and justice. Haq updated the group on particular police matters, while NGOs raised the importance of effective support to PNTL in the areas of investigations – including human resource capability and facilities – and professional policing standards. SRSG Haq told the group that UNMIT is focused on strengthening accountability within the security system, to ensure that citizens are able to confidently bring any complaints to police.

Haq also focused on the relationship between security and development, emphasizing that "there can be no development without security, and no security without development." She urged NGOs to focus attention on service delivery, especially to rural communities. "Health, education, empowering women, value-added agricultural methods – civil society is well placed to contribute in these areas," she added.

NGO representatives emphasized the importance of justice as the link between development and security, speaking of the need to develop trust among communities that the rule of law and accountability provide a strong foundation for peace and ultimately development.

"We are all working for the same things. We want a secure Timor-Leste, we want a Timor-Leste with justice and rule of law, we want a Timor-Leste with socio-economic development," summarized Haq, as she committed to regular meetings with civil society groups.