• Fri   • Mar 14, 2014   • Updated: 3:52am  Renewed commitment
needed on East Timor  PUBLISHED : Monday, 09 April, 2007,
12:00am UPDATED : Monday, 09 April, 2007, 12:00am  Presidential
elections in East Timor today should go a way to bridging
simmering ethnic and political divisions but are not in
themselves a solution to the country's numerous challenges.
These can be overcome only through the sustained help of the
international community.  Such was the pledge in 1999 when the
world rushed to the aid of East Timorese as they fought for
independence from Indonesia. The United Nations was instrumental
in that goal being achieved three years later and international
donor meetings and non-governmental groups have helped build
infrastructure.  A deal with Australia has been struck on the
most viable source of income - oil and gas - and a petroleum
fund is accruing the financial resources that will be the
lifeblood of development in coming decades. How today's
elections, the second since independence, are conducte