New Neighbour, New Challenge: Australia and the Security of East Timor

On 20 May this year, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) released New Neighbour, New Challenge: Australia and the Security of East Timor. A central finding in the report was that one of East Timor’s greatest security concerns would come from within its own borders. Accordingly, the report makes a series of recommendations that urges a greater international focus on law and order and justice issues. 

“…East Timor needs to overcome pressing internal security and law and order problems. The new Government in Dili does not have the capacity to meet these problems. Australia’s current program of aid to East Timor is doing little to help in these sectors, and other donors are doing no better. If we fail to help effectively, Australia’s security interests in a stable East Timor and a peaceful region will be at risk: East Timor may become a failed state, and a source of continuing tension between Australia and Indonesia. 

East Timor’s pressing security problems include organised gangs challenging central authority, smuggling and other border security issues, the latent threat that militia will resume infiltration from West Timor, and the risk that security forces will be drawn into politics.” 

ASPI would like to remind media outlets that this publication, and its executive summary, are both available online free of charge. The URL is: 

http://www.aspi.org.au/timor_pub/index.html 

ASPI’s Strategy and International Program, headed by Dr Elsina Wainwright, prepared the Report.