Abstract:
The past decade has marked an increasing and expanding role of the United
Nations in securing peace and in resolving interstate and intrastate conflicts. The most
noted peacekeeping operations that claims of United Nations’ (UN) success are the
transitional administrations established in Cambodia and East Timor. Elections that were
supervised by the UN marked a pivotal role in signaling the end of the organization’s
mandate in these countries.
While the UN claims that elections serve as an avenue for building sustainable
political institutions, it is the aim of this study to determine whether such elections
instituted by the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia and East Timor are
means of inducing the society and formed government in the participation process. The
level of participation as a dimension of political development is measured in terms of the
integration of the society into the political system and in consolidating the different
factions that formed their government. These indicators were further used to assess the
similarities and differences of the electoral experience of both countries.
Findings show that these elections in Cambodia and East Timor were successful
in so far as mobilizing the society is concerned, but it failed to transcend to the resultant
government. While similarities can be inferred in the scope, process and mandate of its
elections, the nature and context by which such missions were instituted differ in both
countries. The security problem and lack of cooperation of the parties involved in
Cambodia deviates from the minimized role of violence and the concert of parties
involved in East Timor.
