[TimorLesteStudies] Masters thesis: “Violence is just a part of our culture”: Explaining Enduring Violence in Post-Independence Timor-Leste

[Bu V.E. Wilson]

Dewhurst, Sarah. 2008 “Violence is just a part of our culture”: Explaining Enduring Violence in
Post-Independence Timor-Leste. MA Post-War Recovery Studies. University of York
Politics Department Post-War Reconstruction and Development Unit

Abstract and TOC below. If you would like a copy of the thesis please contact Sarah Dewhurst.
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Abstract
Countries emerging from violent conflict often suffer from high levels of violence in
the post-conflict period. Violent outbreaks have the potential to fully destabilise a
fragile peace, yet the continuous practice of violent behaviour through all aspects of
social life also threatens the quality of the peace by embedding violent practices into
the developmental path of new state.
This dissertation examines the causes of enduring violence in post-conflict countries
and explores the possibility that high levels of violence are sustained by a ‘cultural’
legacy left by the violent conflict itself. This legacy results from the prolonged
exposure to the social norms which legitimise violent behaviour in wartime. This
fundamentally affects the attitudes that people hold towards the use of violence in
situations of conflict, and creates an environment where violent behaviour is
considered to be an acceptable and normal part of the way society functions.
This dissertation uses the case-study of Timor-Leste to examine the various factors
that could be causing violence in the post-conflict period. The new state of Timor-
Leste suffers from a number of different types of violence with complex interacting
causes and has undergone a series of violent crises since achieving full independence
from Indonesia in May 2002.
It suggests that these violent practices operate within a culture where the practice of
violence is not condemned, resulting in the perpetuation of violence on all levels of
society. Therefore, when issues of conflict arise again, the country is vulnerable to
the risk of further violent crises.


Table of Contents
List of Tables and Illustrations ...................................................................................5
Introduction ...............................................................................................................7
Acknowledgements..................................................................................................11
Author’s Declaration................................................................................................12
Chapter 1: A Culture of Violence..........................................................................13
1.1 Introduction............................................................................................13
1.2 Hypothesis..............................................................................................14
1.3 Violent Peace .........................................................................................14
1.4 The Causes of Post-Conflict Violence.....................................................17
1.4.1 Dissatisfaction with peace accords or new governments....................17
1.4.2 Post-conflict challenges ....................................................................17
1.4.3 The legacy of war .............................................................................18
1.4.4 Re-emergence of latent tensions........................................................19
1.5 The Framework ......................................................................................20
1.6 Scope and Limitations of this study ........................................................21
1.7 Conclusion .............................................................................................21
Chapter 2: The Research Approach .....................................................................23
2.1 The Research Framework .......................................................................23
2.2 The Case Study.......................................................................................24
2.2.1 Violence in Timor-Leste since Independence ....................................26
2.3 Research Methodology ...........................................................................29
2.3.1 Challenges ........................................................................................29
2.3.2 The Approach...................................................................................30
2.3.3 Limitations .......................................................................................32
2.4 Conclusion .............................................................................................34
Chapter 3: Presentation of the Research Findings ...............................................35
3.1 Introduction............................................................................................35
3.2.1 International Intervention..................................................................38
3.3 State Level..............................................................................................41
3.3.1 State Security Apparatus...................................................................41
3.3.2 Judiciary, Law and Order..................................................................43
3.3.3 Political Government ........................................................................47
3.3.4 Economic..........................................................................................53
3.4 Collective Level .....................................................................................55
3.4.1 Family ..............................................................................................55
3.4.2 Peers.................................................................................................56
3.4.3 Community/Ethnic Group.................................................................58
3.4.4 Religion............................................................................................61
3.5 Individual Level .....................................................................................62
3.5.1 Psychological....................................................................................62
3.5.2 Personal............................................................................................63
3.6 Conclusion .............................................................................................67
4
Chapter 4: Analysing the Research Findings .......................................................69
4.1 Introduction............................................................................................69
4.2 International Level..................................................................................71
4.2.1 International Intervention..................................................................71
4.3 State Level..............................................................................................73
4.3.1 State Security Apparatus...................................................................74
4.3.2 Judiciary, Law and Order..................................................................75
4.3.3 Political Government ........................................................................77
4.3.4 Economic..........................................................................................79
4.4 Collective Level .....................................................................................80
4.4.1 Family ..............................................................................................81
4.4.2 Peers.................................................................................................82
4.3.3 Community/Ethnic Group.................................................................82
4.4.4 Religion............................................................................................84
4.5 Individual Level .....................................................................................85
4.5.1 Psychological....................................................................................85
4.5.2 Personal............................................................................................86
4.6 Conclusion .............................................................................................87
Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations ...................................................89
5.1 Introduction............................................................................................89
5.2 The Conceptual Framework Revisited ....................................................90
5.3 The Implications of the Culture of Violence in Timor Leste....................92
5.4 Implications for Other Post-Conflict Societies and for the Design of
Peace-Building Activities .......................................................................94
5.5 Recommendations ..................................................................................95
5.6 Conclusion .............................................................................................97
Appendix A: List of Personal Communication and Focus Group Discussions ..........98
A.1 List of Interviews....................................................................................98
A.2 Focus Group Discussions........................................................................99
Appendix B............................................................................................................100
B.1 Interview Questions..............................................................................100
B.2 Questionnaire Used in Field Research...................................................101
Acronyms and Abbreviations.................................................................................102
Bibliography..........................................................................................................103 
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