East Timor people in the hands of Indonesia
What the people from East Timor underwent in the hands of Indonesia was quite unfortunate. The country was destroyed despite the American and Australian governments knowing about it. Foreign relations make it hard for a foreign country to get into a conflict between other countries.
UN has never achieved what it intended to solve during its initiation. Both external and internal conflicts in many nations, such as the Rwandan genocide, went on without the UN intervention. It has, however, managed to provide a forum for significant countries to avoid hostility through face-saving means.
The determination of the truth of events has been critical in enhancing peace, but East Timor did not take it the truth commission’s report seriously. Perhaps any move by the UN in determining truth would not bear fruit. UN played a crucial role in ensuring that East Timor gained independence and laid the groundwork for settling a dispute between the two countries.
People who participated in peacekeeping and ending the atrocities committed by Indonesia should be awarded. It is, however, not mandatory to award everyone because it depends on the discretion of whoever gives the award. The international community should not relent from peacekeeping for lack of awards.