United Nations Security Council Resolution 1704

UN Security Council ; Resolution 1704
	UNMIT police
Date	25 August 2006
Meeting no.	5,516
Code	S/RES/1704 (Document)
Subject	The situation in East Timor
Voting summary	15 voted for; None voted against; None abstained
Result	Adopted
Security Council composition
Permanent members	China ; France ; Russia ; United Kingdom ; United States ;
Non-permanent members	Argentina ; Rep. of the Congo ; Denmark ; Ghana ; Greece ; Japan ; Peru ; Qatar ; Slovakia ; Tanzania ;

Last updated April 01, 2019

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1704, adopted unanimously on August 25, 2006, after reaffirming previous resolutions on East Timor (Timor-Leste), particularly resolutions 1599 (2005), 1677 (2006), 1690 (2006) and 1703 (2006), the Council established the United Nations Integrated Mission in East Timor (UNMIT) for an initial period of six months.^[1]

The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization that was tasked to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international co-operation and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations. The headquarters of the UN is in Manhattan, New York City, and is subject to extraterritoriality. Further main offices are situated in Geneva, Nairobi, and Vienna. The organization is financed by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states. Its objectives include maintaining international peace and security, protecting human rights, delivering humanitarian aid, promoting sustainable development and upholding international law. The UN is the largest, most familiar, most internationally represented and most powerful intergovernmental organization in the world. In 24 October 1945, at the end of World War II, the organization was established with the aim of preventing future wars. At its founding, the UN had 51 member states; there are now 193. The UN is the successor of the ineffective League of Nations.

A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security".

East Timor or Timor-Leste, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Maritime Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island surrounded by Indonesian West Timor. Australia is the country's southern neighbour, separated by the Timor Sea. The country's size is about 15,410 km².

United Nations Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL) supported the capacity development of critical state institutions, including the East Timor National Police (PNTL) in order to strengthen democratic governance and to help further build to peace in East Timor. A UN Police Force of Technical Advisers continues to provide the country’s police, Policia Nacional de Timor-Leste (PNTL), with specialized training for rapid response and intervention units. The Technical Advisers are also responsible for providing training in specialized areas such as counter- terrorism, forensics and transferring management skills to the national police in all districts of Timor-Leste.

Resolution

Observations

The Council praised East Timor for attempts to resolve the political conflicts, but it was concerned at the fragility of the situation. There was full support for troops sent in by Australia, Malaysia, Portugal and New Zealand in an attempt to restore stability. It also held the view that parliamentary and presidential elections were a step forward in strengthening the country's democracy.

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. It is the largest country in Oceania and the world's sixth-largest country by total area. The neighbouring countries are Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and East Timor to the north; the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to the north-east; and New Zealand to the south-east. The population of 25 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard. Australia's capital is Canberra, and its largest city is Sydney. The country's other major metropolitan areas are Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of 13 states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two similarly sized regions, Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia shares a land and maritime border with Thailand in the north and maritime borders with Singapore in the south, Vietnam in the northeast, and Indonesia in the west. East Malaysia shares land and maritime borders with Brunei and Indonesia and a maritime border with the Philippines and Vietnam. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital and largest city while Putrajaya is the seat of federal government. With a population of over 30 million, Malaysia is the world's 44th most populous country. The southernmost point of continental Eurasia, Tanjung Piai, is in Malaysia. In the tropics, Malaysia is one of 17 megadiverse countries, with large numbers of endemic species.

Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. It is the westernmost sovereign state of mainland Europe. It is bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north and east by Spain. Its territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira, both autonomous regions with their own regional governments.

Meanwhile, the Council reaffirmed the need for accountability for crimes committed in East Timor during violence in 1999.

The 1999 East Timorese crisis began with attacks by anti-independence militants on civilians, and expanded to general violence throughout the country, centered in the capital Dili. The violence erupted after a majority of eligible East Timorese voters chose independence from Indonesia. Some 1,400 civilians are believed to have died. A UN-authorized force (INTERFET) consisting mainly of Australian Defence Force personnel was deployed to East Timor to establish and maintain peace.

Acts

The resolution established UNMIT for a period of six months, with the intention of further renewals. It would consist of up to 1,608 police personnel with 34 military liaison and staff officers.^[3] The mission was to be headed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and was given the following mandate:^[4]

A Special Representative of the Secretary-General is a highly respected expert who has been appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to represent her/him in meetings with heads of state on critical human rights issues. The representatives can carry out country visits to investigate allegations of human rights violations or act as negotiators on behalf of the United Nations.

In international law, a mandate is a binding obligation issued from an inter-governmental organization to a country which is bound to follow the instructions of the organization.

Offer support to the government;
Support the upcoming elections;
Support the police in restoring order;
Establish a presence in border districts;
Assist the government in reform of the military;
Strengthen state institutions;
Strengthen human rights institutions and to promote justice and reconciliation;
Facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance;
Co-ordinate with United Nations agencies, funds, programmes and donors;
Consider gender equality and the needs of children in the mission mandate;
Provide information to the general public, particularly regarding the 2007 elections;
Ensure the safety of the East Timorese people;
Monitor progress in all the above areas.

Timor Leste Defence Force combined military forces of East Timor

The Timor Leste Defence Force is the military body responsible for the defence of East Timor. The F-FDTL was established in February 2001 and comprised two small infantry battalions, a small naval component and several supporting units.

Human rights are "the basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled" Examples of rights and freedoms which are often thought of as human rights include civil and political rights, such as the right to life, liberty, and property, freedom of expression, pursuit of happiness and equality before the law; and social, cultural and economic rights, including the right to participate in science and culture, the right to work, and the right to education.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Justice, in its broadest context, includes both the attainment of that which is just and the philosophical discussion of that which is just. The concept of justice is based on numerous fields, and many differing viewpoints and perspectives including the concepts of moral correctness based on ethics, rationality, law, religion, equity and fairness. Often, the general discussion of justice is divided into the realm of social justice as found in philosophy, theology and religion, and, procedural justice as found in the study and application of the law.

The Secretary-General Kofi Annan was urged to conclude a status of forces agreement with the East Timorese government. Meanwhile, East Timor was called upon to ensure free and fair elections. Finally, the Secretary-General was required to report on developments on the ground, including ensuring compliance with the zero-tolerance sexual exploitation policy; in this context, further changes to the mission's mandate or composition would be considered.^[5]

Related Research Articles

The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) provided an interim civil administration and a peacekeeping mission in the territory of East Timor, from its establishment on 25 October 1999, until its independence on 20 May 2002, following the outcome of the East Timor Special Autonomy Referendum. Security Council Resolution 1272 established the transitional administration in 1999, and its responsibilities included providing a peacekeeping force to maintain security and order; facilitating and co-ordinating relief assistance to the East Timorese; facilitating emergency rehabilitation of physical infrastructure; administering East Timor and creating structures for sustainable governance and the rule of law; and assisting in the drafting of a new constitution and conducting elections. It was led by Sérgio Vieira de Mello of Brazil and the Lieutenant General Jaime de los Santos of the Philippines.

The United Nations Integrated Mission in East Timor (UNMIT) was established on 25 August 2006 by UN Security Council Resolution 1704. Its objectives are "to support the Government in consolidating stability, enhancing a culture of democratic governance, and facilitating political dialogue among Timorese stakeholders, in their efforts to bring about a process of national reconciliation and to foster social cohesion". In its most recent resolution on UNMIT, the Council extended its mandate until 26 February 2012. UNMIT and ISF troops left the country at the end of 2012.

Operation Tower is the Australian Defence Force's (ADF) contribution to the United Nations Integrated Mission in East Timor (UNMIT).

Timor Leste, since its creation in 1999, has received aid from many different parts of the International Community to help stabilise this new country. Despite this international support the country still has stability issues.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1912 United Nations Security Council resolution

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1912, adopted unanimously on February 26, 2010, after reaffirming resolutions 1599 (2005), 1677 (2006), 1690 (2006), 1703 (2006), 1704 (2006), 1745 (2007), 1802 (2008) and 1867 (2009) in addition to noting a report by the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Council decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) in East Timor until February 26, 2011.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1262, adopted unanimously on 27 August 1999, after recalling previous resolutions on East Timor, particularly resolutions 1246 (1999) and 1257 (1999), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) until 30 November 1999.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1338, adopted unanimously on 31 January 2001, after recalling previous resolutions on East Timor (Timor-Leste), particularly resolutions 1272 (1999) and 1319 (2000), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) for a year until 31 January 2002.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1410, adopted unanimously on 17 May 2002, after recalling previous resolutions on East Timor (Timor-Leste), particularly resolutions 1272 (1999), 1338 (2001) and 1392 (2002), the Council established the United Nations Mission of Support to East Timor (UNMISET) to replace the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET).

United Nations Security Council resolution 1480, adopted unanimously on 19 May 2003, after reaffirming previous resolutions on East Timor (Timor-Leste), particularly resolutions 1410 (2002) and 1473 (2003), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission of Support to East Timor (UNMISET) for a period of twelve months until 19 May 2004.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1543 United Nations Security Council resolution

United Nations Security Council resolution 1543 was adopted unanimously on 14 May 2004, after reaffirming previous resolutions on East Timor (Timor-Leste), particularly resolutions 1410 (2002), 1473 (2003) and 1480 (2003). The Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission of Support to East Timor (UNMISET) for six months, with a view to extending it for a further final period of six months until 20 May 2005.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1573, adopted unanimously on 16 November 2004, after reaffirming previous resolutions on East Timor (Timor-Leste), particularly resolutions 1410 (2002), 1473 (2003), 1480 (2003) and 1543 (2004), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission of Support to East Timor (UNMISET) for a final six months until May 20, 2005.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1599, adopted unanimously on 28 April 2005, after reaffirming previous resolutions on East Timor (Timor-Leste), particularly resolutions 1543 (2004) and 1573 (2004), the Council established the United Nations Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL) to follow on from the United Nations Mission of Support to East Timor (UNMISET) as a special political mission for one year until 20 May 2006.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1969 was adopted unanimously on February 24, 2011; after reaffirming resolutions 1599 (2005), 1677 (2006), 1690 (2006), 1703 (2006), 1704 (2006), 1745 (2007), 1802 (2008), 1867 (2009) and 1912 (2010) on the situation in East Timor (Timor-Leste), the Council decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) for a year, until February 26, 2012.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1677, adopted unanimously on May 12, 2006, after reaffirming previous resolutions on East Timor (Timor-Leste), particularly Resolution 1599 (2005), the Council renewed the mandate of the United Nations Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL) until June 20, 2006.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1690 United Nations Security Council resolution

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1690, adopted unanimously on June 20, 2006, after reaffirming previous resolutions on East Timor (Timor-Leste), particularly resolutions 1599 (2005) and 1677 (2006), the Council renewed the mandate of the United Nations Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL) for two months until August 20, 2006.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1745 was unanimously adopted on 22 February 2007.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1802 was unanimously adopted on 25 February 2008.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1867 was unanimously adopted on 26 February 2009.

References

↑ "Security Council establishes new, expanded UN mission in Timor-Leste for initial period of six months". United Nations. August 25, 2006.
↑ Hinton, Mercedes S.; Newburn, Tim (2009). Policing developing democracies. Taylor & Francis. p. 152. ISBN 978-0-415-42848-4.
↑ "New UN peacekeepers for E Timor". BBC News. 26 August 2006.
↑ Center on International Cooperation (2009). Annual review of global peace operations. Lynne Rienner Publishers. p. 76.
↑ "Security Council establishes expanded UN mission in Timor-Leste". United Nations News Centre. 25 August 2006.

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[un-1] "Security Council establishes new, expanded UN mission in Timor-Leste for initial period of six months". United Nations. August 25, 2006.

[2] Hinton, Mercedes S.; Newburn, Tim (2009). Policing developing democracies. Taylor & Francis. p. 152. ISBN 978-0-415-42848-4.

[3] "New UN peacekeepers for E Timor". BBC News. 26 August 2006.

[4] Center on International Cooperation (2009). Annual review of global peace operations. Lynne Rienner Publishers. p. 76.

[5] "Security Council establishes expanded UN mission in Timor-Leste". United Nations News Centre. 25 August 2006.