Overview of Human Rights in East Timor

East Timor is a parliamentary republic. Still in its early years of independence after twenty-five years of occupation by Indonesia, East Timor is working to improve its poor human rights record.  Still, there are problem areas and challenges left from its period occupation.

When Indonesia withdrew, it left behind a legacy of human rights abuses such as arbitrary arrests, detentions, torture, and extrajudicial killings. While a United Nations tribunal convicted some of those responsible, there are limitations on the ability to extradite suspects from Indonesia, thus hindering the quest for justice. In May 2005, the tribunal was shut down and resultantly, thousands of crimes have gone uninvestigated and unpunished.

In March 2005, the Commission of Truth and Friendship (CTF) was established to investigate these crimes. However, this body has been widely criticized by victims as essentially promoting impunity, and for being unrepresentative of their wishes for proper accountability and punishment for atrocities committed.

Due to lack of proper training and resources, law enforcement authorities in East Timor are known to use excessive force when arresting and detaining suspects. There are currently no internal or external disciplinary measures which can effectively deal with this situation.

In 2004, parliament passes the Law on Freedom, Assembly and Demonstration. This law is in direct violation of international law and the East Timorese constitution since it effectively  restricts citizens' rights to demonstrate and stage peaceful protests against the government. Freedoms of expression and association are also limited by the government.

In March 2005, the nation elected its first Provedor, similar to an ombudsman in other nations. While a good first step, the Provedor does not have the power to make enforceable rulings; it can only act as a mediator if both parties choose to come to the table.

It should be noted that in recent years, political violence -- including the attempted assassination of the president -- have been on the increase and could shape the climate of human rights in the future.

Human Development Index (HDI) Rank:

142nd out of 177

Note: Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the level of well-being of nations in the world. It uses factors such as poverty, literacy, life-expectancy, education, gross domestic product, and purchasing power parity to assess the average achievements in each nation. It has been used in the United Nation’s Human Development Report since 1993.