14 September 1999

Bonn, Germany: "Once again you have demonstrated that UNV is an indispensable part of the international system, fielding in record time a large number of volunteers to provide crucial and timely assistance in fulfilling the goals of the United Nations", wrote UNDP Administrator Mark Malloch Brown to UNV's Executive Coordinator one day after the popular consultation in East Timor. When it comes to facilitating democratic choice, UN Volunteers have indeed played an integral role in recent years: since their involvement in the historic ballot in Cambodia in 1993, more than 4,000 UNVs have supported electoral registration, supervision, monitoring and logistics. In 1999 alone, UNVs assisted with the elections in Nigeria, Indonesia, South Africa, Nepal, Central African Republic and soon, Mozambique.

The events in East Timor have taken a tragic turn and critics were quick to point a finger at the UN, speaking of failure and - when UNAMET evacuated the majority of staff - even of abandonment. The record needs to be set straight here: the UN's mandate was to conduct the ballot. This was an overwhelming success, not least through the work of the 500 UNVs. The failure lies with those who did not maintain the promised peace and security. In hindsight some may say that perhaps the ballot should not have taken place - that the difficult UN-brokered negotiations between Portugal and Indonesia settled for a shaky compromise. But would that not also have meant the abandonment of the people of East Timor who fought for this opportunity for almost a quarter of a century? The UN facilitated a chance for choice. UN Volunteers will continue to be part of these efforts.