Victors, Villains and Victims: Capitalizing on Memory in Timor-Leste

Joanne Wallis*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In 2006 a security crisis in Timor-Leste caused the collapse of the police force, dismissal of almost half of the army and the internal displacement of 150,000 people. The roots of the crisis lay in a range of societal divisions that became salient owing to the weak nature of Timorese national identity. The government responded to the security crisis by creating schemes to provide cash payments to certain groups. This article considers how these schemes fit into-and potentially exacerbate-societal divisions and emerging competition over the ownership of Timorese national identity. It concludes by arguing that an ethno-symbolist approach to building national identity, combined with generally available social assistance schemes, may offer Timor-Leste the best chance of ameliorating societal division and conflict.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)133-160
Number of pages28
JournalEthnopolitics
Volume12
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2013
Externally publishedYes

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