Changing process of ethno-nationalism in East Timor

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In May, 2006, our group published the result of our recent studies under the title of Ethnicity, International and Regional Environment of the New Nation-state of East Timor. Our target for the efforts during the current year was directed toward further ascertaining the tentative conclusion that we had arrived at. Outline of our studies are listed below.(1) A field survey was conducted in the wake of the first serious post-independence internal confrontation caused mainly by local antagonism in order to obtain basic information materials on power structure and economic conditions.(2) The new nation-state is in economic confusion so in order to bring about some degree of order and vitality foreign assistance and investment are deemed necessary. Especially expected is Japan's participation in this field. In this connection we conducted a series of fact-finding surveys concerning involvement of the Japanese government, private enterprises and NGOs as to their policies for East Timor and t … More he state of actual participation.(3) Concerning relationship with Japan, we can still observe delicate anti-Japanese sentiments among the people as remnants of the Japanese military occupation of the war period. On this point we studied and analyzed the tapes used in hearing surveys conducted in the previous year.(4) In East and Southeast Asia, mutual relations between and among the nations are getting closer in economic fields. Although East Timor's economic base is still fieble. The nation aspires join the existing regional networks. From this perspective we have conducted researches on actual status of the East Timor policies exhibited by members of such regional cooperative organizations such as ASEAN and APEC.(5) In the event of East Timor's national independence in May, 2002, the Catholic church in East Timor, the greatest religious influence exercised a very important role during the process. What role did the Church play in remedying political, social, and cultural splits created among the inhabitants, or, did it fail to perform any mediating role? In order to ascertain the querry we made a survey of the views of those Japanese who are actively involved in the activities of Catholic-related NGOs in East Timor. Less