On November 11, 2003, the International Republican Institute (IRI) announced the results of East Timor's first public opinion poll. According to the survey, conducted across the country last month, a sizable majority of 68% of respondents are optimistic that democracy “will reform East Timor and solve the problems we face.”

When asked if democracy is "our best hope for the future," 84% of respondents agreed; only 6% disagreed. When asked if democracy is the best way for East Timor "to industrialize," 85% agreed. Respondents also have respect for various institutions, from the Presidency to the UN to the Prime Ministry; each received a "good" or "excellent" rating of more than 50%.

Another finding of the poll is that 89% of respondents feel free to express their political opinions, while only 5% feel they are unable to express their opinions openly.

This survey reveals that citizens feel free to express their political opinions and are willing to give democracy a real chance," said Deborah White, IRI's country director in East Timor.

According to the poll, East Timor's citizens have two main concerns: "KKN" (the Indonesian acronym for corruption, collusion, and nepotism) and the economy. Some 65% said that "KKN" has become worse since independence and 43% said the same about the economic situation. On issues of democracy, freedom, security, education, and health care, more people believe that conditions have improved rather than deteriorated since independence.

IRI and the University of Dili conducted the poll in all 13 of East Timor's districts. They released the results at a special seminar in Dili, the capital. Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta served as moderator with six other panelists representing political parties, academic institutions, and IRI. About 200 people attended the seminar and received copies of the results and the IRI press release in Tetum or English. The poll sampled the opinions of 1,561 East Timorese citizens across the country in numbers proportional to the population of each region. IRI estimates the survey's margin of error at plus or minus 2.5%.

USAID supports IRI in its work to strengthen East Timor's democratic institutions and encourage participation in politics by more of the country's citizens, including women. IRI's polling program seeks to increase political leaders' awareness and responsiveness to the concerns of the electorate.