ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses a gap in the peacebuilding ‘continuum’ of Timor-Leste between bilateral aid agencies and other stakeholders. Since 1999, bilateral agencies focused on development issues that incorporate relief and recovery matters due to the division of labor among international actors in a rigid aid management system, while the multilateral force and the United Nations missions took the responsibility of stability and state-building. However, the emergence of the 2006 crisis revealed the state was not fully functional, with the rule of law especially vulnerable. Case studies of USAID, JICA, and Australian Aid found that they pursued the ‘continuum’ within their capacities, meaning that the dimension of ‘conflict prevention’ was left alone. This induced civil society to develop their own unique mechanisms to mitigate conflicts at the community level. Examining a 15-year post-conflict situation, this chapter revealed that the development-oriented approach taken in Timor-Leste has successfully linked relief, recovery, and development efforts while neglecting the ‘conflict prevention’ aspect.
