East Timor

East Timor

East Timor (i/ˌiːst ˈtiːmɔr/) or Timor-Leste (/tiˈmɔr ˈlɛʃteɪ/), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia.[6] It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands ofAtauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor. The country's size is about 15,410 km2 (5,400 sq mi).[7] ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

East Timor was colonised by Portugal in the 16th century, and was known as Portuguese Timor until Portugal's decolonisation of the country. In late 1975, East Timor declared its independence, but later that year was invaded and occupied by Indonesia and was declared Indonesia's 27th province the following year.  DELL NSK-D8001 Laptop Keyboard

In 1999, following the United Nations-sponsored act of self-determination, Indonesia relinquished control of the territory and East Timor became the first new sovereign state of the 21st century on May 20, 2002. East Timor is one of only two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in East Asia, the other being the Philippines. DELL NSK-D8001 Laptop Keyboard

East Timor has a lower-middle-income economy.[8] It continues to suffer the aftereffects of a decades-longindependence struggle against Indonesia, which damaged infrastructure and displaced thousands of civilians. It is placed 134th by Human Development Index (HDI). Nonetheless it is expected to have the sixth largest GDP growth in the world for 2013.[9] DELL Vostro PP37L Laptop Keyboard

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) official short form in English and all other languages isTimor-Leste (codes: TLS & TL), which has been adopted by the United Nations,[10] the European Union,[11] and the national standards organisations of France (AFNOR), the United States of America (ANSI),[12] United Kingdom (BSI), Germany (DIN) and Sweden (SIS). DELL Inspiron 6400 Laptop Keyboard

It is believed that descendants from at least three waves of migration still live in East Timor. The first were related to the principal Australoid indigenous groups of New Guinea and Australia, and arrived before 40,000 years ago. Around 3000 BC, Austronesians migrated to Timor, and are thought to be associated with the development of agriculture on the island.[citation needed] DELL Precision M4500 Laptop Keyboard

 Thirdly, proto-Malays arrived from south China and north Indochina.[13]Before colonialism Timor was included in Chinese and Indian trading networks, being in the 14th century an exporter of aromatic sandalwood, slaves, IBM 39T0550 Laptop Keyboard

honey and wax. It was the relative abundance of sandalwood in Timor that attracted European explorers to the island in the early 16th century.[14] During that time, European explorers reported that the island had a number of small chiefdoms or princedoms.[citation needed] COMPAQ Presario C700 Laptop Keyboard

The Portuguese established outposts in Timor and Maluku. Effective European occupation of a small part of the territory began in 1769, when the city of Dili was founded and the colony ofPortuguese Timor declared.[16] A definitive border between the Dutch colonised western half of the island and the Portuguese colonised eastern half of the island was established by thePermanent Court of Arbitration of 1914,[17] ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

and it remains the international boundary between the successor states East Timor and Indonesia. For the Portuguese, East Timor remained little more than a neglected trading post until the late nineteenth century, with minimal investment in infrastructure, health, and education. HP 550 Laptop Keyboard

 Sandalwood remained the main export crop with coffee exports becoming significant in the mid-nineteenth century. In places where Portuguese rule was asserted, it tended to be brutal and exploitative.[18] Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

At the beginning of the twentieth century, a faltering home economy prompted the Portuguese to extract greater wealth from its colonies, which was met with East Timorese resistance.[18] ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

During World War II, the Japanese occupied Dili, and the mountainous interior became the scene of a guerrilla campaign, known as the Battle of Timor. Waged by Allied forces and East Timorese volunteers against the Japanese, the struggle resulted in the deaths of between 40,000 and 70,000 East Timorese.[19] Following the end of the war, Portuguese control was reinstated. DELL Vostro 1015 Laptop Keyboard

The decolonisation process instigated by the 1974 Portuguese revolution saw Portugal effectively abandon the colony of East Timor. A civil war between supporters of East Timorese political parties, the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Fretilin) and the Timorese Democratic Union (UDT), HP Mini 210-1109TU Laptop Keyboard

broke out in 1975 as the UDT attempted a coup which Fretilin resisted with the help of local Portuguese military.[20] Independence was unilaterally declared on November 28, 1975. The Indonesian government was fearful of an independent communist state within the Indonesian archipelago, and at the height of the Cold War, Western governments were supportive of Indonesia's position. HP 519265-001 Laptop Keyboard

The Indonesian military launched a full-scale invasion of East Timor in December 1975. Indonesia declared East Timor as its 27th province on July 17, 1976.[21] The UN Security Council opposed the invasion and the territory's nominal status in the UN remained "non-self-governing territory under Portuguese administration." DELL INSPIRON 1464 Laptop Keyboard

Indonesia's occupation of East Timor was marked by violence and brutality. A detailed statistical report prepared for theCommission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor cited a minimum bound of 102,800 conflict-related deaths in the period 1974–1999, namely, approximately 18,600 killings and 84,200 "excess" deaths from hunger and illness.[22] DELL KR737 Laptop Keyboard

The East Timorese guerrilla force, Falintil, fought a campaign against the Indonesian forces from 1975–1999. The 1991 Dili Massacrewas a turning point for the independence cause internationally, and an East Timor solidarity movement grew in Portugal, Australia, and the United States. IBM 39T0550 Laptop Keyboard

Following the resignation of Indonesian President Suharto, a UN-sponsored agreement between Indonesia and Portugal allowed for UN-supervised popular referendum in August 1999. The resulting clear vote for independence was met with a punitive campaign of violence by East Timorese pro-integration militia with the support of elements of the Indonesian military. Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

An Australian-led international peacekeeping force, International Force for East Timor (INTERFET), was sent (with Indonesian permission) until order was restored. The administration of East Timor was taken over by the UN through the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) in October 1999.[23] HP G42-415DX Laptop Keyboard

 The INTERFET deployment ended in February 2000 with the transfer of military command to the UN.[24] By May 2002, over 205,000 refugees had returned,[25] and East Timorese independence was formalised on May 20, 2002 with Xanana Gusmão sworn in as the country's first President. East Timor became a member of the UN on September 27, 2002. IBM 39T0550 Laptop Keyboard

The following year, Gusmão declined another presidential term and in the build-up to the April 2007 presidential elections there were renewed outbreaks of violence. José Ramos-Horta was elected President in the May 2007 election.[26] Ramos-Horta was critically injured in an attempted assassination in February 2008. Prime Minister Gusmão also faced gunfire separately but escaped unharmed. Australian reinforcements were immediately sent to help keep order.[27] LENOVO MP-08F53US-686 laptop keyboard

In 2006, the United Nations sent in security forces to restore order when unrest and factional fighting forced 15 percent of the population (155,000 people) to flee their homes. In March 2011, the UN handed-off operational control of the police force to the East Timor authorities.[28] The United Nations ended its peacekeeping mission on 31 December 2012.[29]  SONY VAIO VGN-N21Z/W laptop keyboard

Located in Southeast Asia,[30] the island of Timor is part of the Maritime Southeast Asia, and is the largest and easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. To the north of the island are the Ombai Strait, Wetar Strait and the greater Banda Sea. TheTimor Sea separates the island from Australia to the south, and the Indonesian Province of East Nusa Tenggara lies to East Timor’s west. Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 laptop keyboard

Much of the country is mountainous, and its highest is Tatamailau (also known as Mount Ramelau) at 2,963 meters (9,721 ft).The climate is tropical and generally hot and humid. It is characterised by distinct rainy and dry seasons. The capital, largest city and main port is Dili, and the second-largest city is the eastern town of Baucau. East Timor lies between latitudes 8° and 10°S, and longitudes 124° and 128°E. SONY VAIO VGN-CS13G/Q laptop keyboard

The easternmost area of East Timor consists of the Paitchau (de) Range and the Iralalaro (de) area, which contains the county’s first conservation area, the Nino Konis Santana National Park.[31] It contains the last remaining tropical dryforested area within the country. It hosts a number of unique plant and animal species and is sparsely populated.[32] The northern coast is characterised by a number of coral reef systems that have been determined to be at risk.[33] HP G72-b15EB laptop keyboard

The head of state of East Timor is the President of East Timor, who is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. Although the role is largely symbolic, the president does have veto power over certain types of legislation. Following elections, the president appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as the Prime Minister of East Timor. As head of government, the prime minister presides over the Council of State or cabinet.  DELL 0PVDG3 laptop keyboard

The unicameral East Timorese parliament is the National Parliament or Parlamento Nacional, whose members are elected by popular vote to a five-year term. The number of seats can vary from a minimum of fifty-two to a maximum of sixty-five. The East Timorese constitution was modelled on that of Portugal. The country is still in the process of building its administration and governmental institutions. HP Mini 110-1113NR laptop keyboard

Government departments include the Policia Nacional de Timor-Leste (police), East Timor Ministry for State and Internal Administration, Civil Aviation Division of Timor Leste and Immigration Department of Timor Leste. HP Mini 210-1084TU Laptop Keyboard

The Timor Leste Defence Force (often F-FDTL) is the military body responsible for the defence of East Timor. The F-FDTL was established in February 2001 and comprised two small infantry battalions, a small naval component and several supporting units.  HP G61-401SA Laptop Keyboard

The F-FDTL's primary role is to protect East Timor from external threats. It also has an internal security role, which overlaps with that of the Policia Nacional de Timor Leste (PNTL). This overlap has led to tensions between the services, which have been exacerbated by poor morale and lack of discipline within the F-FDTL. HP Pavilion G60-230 Laptop Keyboard

The F-FDTL's problems came to a head in 2006 when almost half the force was dismissed following protests over discrimination and poor conditions. The dismissal contributed to a general collapse of both the F-FDTL and PNTL in May and forced the government to request foreign peacekeepers to restore security. The F-FDTL is currently being rebuilt with foreign assistance and has drawn up a long-term force development plan. SAMSUNG NP-Q320-FS01UK Laptop Keyboard

East Timor has a market economy, that formerly depended upon exports of a few commodities such as coffee, marble,oil and sandalwood.[36] East Timor’s economy grew by about 10% in 2011, and at a similar rate in 2012.[37] TOSHIBA Satellite L750-ST4N02 Laptop Keyboard

Timor now has revenue from offshore oil and gas reserves, but little of it has gone to develop villages, which still rely on subsistence farming.[38] Nearly half the population lives in extreme poverty.[38] Widespread corruption, unchecked by a weak judicial system, is a considerable drag on the economy.[39] DELL Inspiron 1750 Laptop Keyboard

The Timor-Leste Petroleum Fund was established in 2005, and by 2011 it had reached a worth of US$8.7 billion.[40]East Timor is labelled by the International Monetary Fund as the "most oil-dependent economy in the world".[41]The Petroleum Fund pays for nearly all of the government's annual budget, which has increased from $70 million in 2004 to $1.3 billion in 2011, with a $1.8 billion proposal for 2012.[40] HP 416416-001 Laptop Keyboard

The economy is dependent on government spending and, to a lesser extent, assistance from international donors.[42]Private sector development has lagged due to human capital shortages, infrastructure weakness, an incomplete legal system, and an inefficient regulatory environment.[42] After petroleum, the second largest export is coffee, which generates about $10 million a year.[42] Starbucks is a major purchaser of East Timorese coffee.[43] HP CT1A Laptop Keyboard

According to data gathered in the 2010 census, 87.7% of urban and 18.9% of rural households have electricity, for an overall average of 36.7%.[44] TOSHIBA Satellite L750-ST4N02 Laptop Keyboard

The agriculture sector employs 80% of the active population.[45] In 2009, about 67,000 households grew coffee in East Timor, with a large proportion being poor.[45] Currently, the gross margins are about $120 per hectare, with returns per labor-day of about $3.70.[45] There are 11,000 household growing mungbeans as of 2009, most of them subsistence farmers.[45] COMPAQ Presario C700 Laptop Keyboard

The country was ranked 169th overall and last in the East Asia and Pacific region by the Doing Business 2013 report by the World Bank. The country fared particularly poorly in the 'registering property', 'enforcing contracts' and 'resolving insolvency' categories, ranking last worldwide in all three.[46] HP 550 Laptop Keyboard

The Portuguese colonial administration granted concessions to Oceanic Exploration Corporation to develop petroleum and natural gas deposits in the waters southeast of Timor. However, this was curtailed by the Indonesian invasion in 1976.[citation needed] The resources were divided between Indonesia and Australia with the Timor Gap Treaty in 1989.[47] East Timor inherited no permanent maritime boundaries when it attained independence.[citation needed] HP 605344-001 Laptop Keyboard

repudiating the Timor Gap Treaty as illegal. A provisional agreement (the Timor Sea Treaty, signed when East Timor became independent on May 20, 2002) defined a Joint Petroleum Development Area (JPDA), and awarded 90% of revenues from existing projects in that area to East Timor and 10% to Australia.[48] FUJITSU Lifebook T4220 Laptop Keyboard

A 2005 agreement between the governments of East Timor and Australia mandated that both countries put aside their dispute over maritime boundaries, and that East Timor would receive 50% of the revenues from the resource exploitation in the area (estimated at A$26 billion or about US$20 billion over the lifetime of the project)[49] from the Greater Sunrise development.[50] SONY VAIO VGN-CR520E Laptop Keyboard

In 2007, a bad harvest led to deaths in several parts of East Timor. In November 2007, eleven subdistricts still needed food supplied by international aid.[51]

There are no patent laws in East Timor.[52] SAMSUNG NP-N150-JP01 Laptop Keyboard

The population of East Timor is about 1,143,667.[6] The population is especially concentrated in the area around Dili.[citation needed]

The word Maubere, formerly used by the Portuguese to refer to native East Timorese and often employed as synonymous with the illiterate and uneducated, was adopted by Fretilin as a term of pride.[54]  IBM Lenovo ThinkPad X300 Laptop Keyboard

They consist of a number of distinct ethnic groups, most of whom are of mixed Malayo-Polynesian and Melanesian/Papuan descent.[citation needed] The largest Malayo-Polynesian ethnic groups are the Tetum[55] (100,000), primarily in the north coast and around Dili; the Mambae (80,000), TOSHIBA Equium A100 Series Laptop Keyboard

in the central mountains; the Tukudede (63,170), in the area around Maubara and Liquiçá; the Galoli(50,000), between the tribes of Mambae and Makasae; the Kemak (50,000) in north-central Timor island; and the Baikeno (20,000), in the area around Pante Macassar.[citation needed] HP Mini 210-1103TU Laptop Keyboard

The main tribes of predominantly Papuan origin include the Bunak (50,000), in the central interior of Timor island; the Fataluku(30,000), at the eastern tip of the island near Lospalos; and the Makasae, ACER Aspire 5742 Laptop Keyboard

toward the eastern end of the island.[citation needed] As a result of interracial marriage during was common the Portuguese era, there is a population of people of mixed East Timorese and Portuguese origin, known in Portuguese as mestiços. There is a small Chinese minority, most of whom are Hakka. Many Chinese left in the mid-1970s.[56]  HP Pavilion dv6-2112sa Laptop Keyboard

According to the 2010 census, 96.9% of the population is Catholic, 2.2% is Protestant or Evangelical, 0.3% is Muslim, while 0.5% practise some other or no religion.[57] In rural areas, Catholicism is practised along with local traditions.[58] The number of churches has grown from 100 in 1974 to over 800 in 1994.[59] SONY VAIO VGN-AR230G laptop keyboard

The principles of freedom of religion and separation of state and church are enshrined in the section 45, comma 1 of the East Timorese constitution.[60] Upon independence, East Timor became one of only two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia (along with the Philippines), although nearby parts of eastern Indonesia also have Catholic majorities, including West Timor and Flores. SONY VAIO VGN-AR250G laptop keyboard

The Roman Catholic Church divides East Timor into three dioceses: the Diocese of Díli, the Diocese of Baucau and the Diocese of Maliana.[61] Church membership grew considerably under Indonesian rule, as Indonesia's state ideology Pancasila does not recognise traditional beliefs and requires all citizens to believe in God.[citation needed] The constitution acknowledges "the participation of the Catholic Church in the process of national liberation" of East Timor.[60] SONY VAIO VGN-AR270 laptop keyboard

East Timor's two official languages are Portuguese and Tetum. Tetum belongs to the Austronesian family of languages spoken throughout Southeast Asia.[62] SONY VAIO VGN-CR29XN laptop keyboard

The 2010 census found that the most commonly spoken mother tongues were Tetum Prasa (mother tongue for 36.6% of the population), Mambai (12.5%), Makasai (9.7%), Tetum Terik (6.0%), Baikenu (5.9%), Kemak (5.9%), Bunak (5.3%), Tokodede (3.7%),Fataluku (3.6%). Other indigenous languages largely accounted for the remaining 10.9%, while Portuguese was spoken natively by just under 600 people.[63] SONY 147859712 laptop keyboard

Under Indonesian rule the use of Portuguese was banned, and only Indonesian was allowed to be used in government offices, schools and public business.[64] During the Indonesian occupation, Tetum and Portuguese were important unifying elements for the East Timorese people in opposing Javanese culture.[65] SONY VAIO VGN-NW100 laptop keyboard

 It was adopted as one of the two official languages for this reason and as a link to nations in other parts of the world. It is now being taught and promoted with the help of Brazil, Portugal, and the Latin Union.[citation needed] SONY Vaio VGN-AW110J laptop keyboard

Indonesian and English are defined as working languages under the Constitution in the Final and Transitional Provisions, without setting a final date. Aside from Tetum, Ethnologue lists the following indigenous languages: SONY KFRMBA220A laptop keyboard

 Adabe, Baikeno, Bunak, Fataluku, Galoli, Habun, Idaté, Kairui-Midiki, Kemak, Lakalei, Makasae,Makuv’a, Mambae, Nauete, Tukudede, Waima’a.[66] It is estimated that English is understood by 31.4% of the population. 23.5% speak, read and write Portuguese, which is up significantly from less than 5% in the 2006 UN Development Report.[67][68] IBM ThinkPad T40p 2378 laptop keyboard

East Timor is a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries, also known as the Lusophone Commonwealth, and a member of the Latin Union.[69]

According to the Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, there are six endangered languages in East Timor: Adabe, Habu, Kairui-Midiki, Maku'a, Naueti,Waima'a.[70] HP Pavilion tx1340ea laptop keyboard

The culture of East Timor reflects numerous influences, including Portuguese, Roman Catholic, and Indonesian, on the indigenous Austronesian and Melanesiancultures of Timor. East Timorese culture is heavily influenced by Austronesian legends. For example, East Timorese creation myth has it that an aging crocodile transformed into the island of Timor as part of a debt repayment to a young boy who had helped the crocodile when it was sick.[71] HP Pavilion dv6-2053eo laptop keyboard

As a result of that transformation, the island is shaped like a crocodile and the boy's descendants are the native East Timorese who inhabit the island. The phrase "leaving the crocodile" refers to the pained exile of East Timorese from their island. HP Mini 110-3115sg laptop keyboard

There is also a strong tradition of poetry in the country. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, for example, is a distinguished poet. As for architecture, some Portuguese-style buildings can be found, along with the traditional totem houses of the eastern region. These are known as uma lulik (sacred houses) in Tetum, and lee teinu (houses with legs) in Fataluku. Craftsmanship is also widespread, as is the weaving of traditional scarves or tais. ACER 9Z.N3K82.01D laptop keyboard

Sports organisations joined by East Timor include the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the International Badminton Federation (IBF), joined the Union Cycliste Internationale, the International Weightlifting Federation, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), and East Timor's national football team joined FIFA. East Timorese athletes competed in the 2003 Southeast Asian Games held 2003. HP Mini 110-3007tu laptop keyboard

In the 2003 ASEAN Paralympics Games, East Timor won a bronze medal. In the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, East Timorese athletes participated in athletics, weightlifting and boxing. East Timor won three medals in Arnis at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games. East Timor competed in the first Lusophony Games, and in October 2008, the country earned its first international points in a FIFA match with a 2–2 draw against Cambodia.[72] HP Pavilion G6-1B79US Laptop Keyboard

The adult literacy rate in 2010 was 58.3%, up from just 37.6% in 2001.[73] Illiteracy is higher among women.[74] Illiteracy was at 95% at the end of Portuguese rule.[75] In 2006, 10%–30% of primary-school age children did not attend school.[76] DELL UW739 Laptop Keyboard

The country has the National University of East Timor. Since the departure of the Portuguese, schools have increased from 50 to more than 800. There are also four colleges.[59] TOSHIBA Satellite L755-SP5102CL Laptop Keyboard

Since independence, both Indonesian and Tetum have lost ground as mediums of instruction: while in 2001 only 8.4% of primary school and 6.8% of secondary school students attended a Portuguese-medium school, ACER TravelMate 4050 Laptop Keyboard

by 2005 this had increased to 81.6% for primary and 46.3% for secondary schools.[77] Indonesian formerly played a considerable role in education, being used by 73.7% of all secondary school students as a medium of instruction, but by 2005 it was used by most schools only in Baucau, Manatutoas well as the capital district.[77] HP 640436-001 Laptop Keyboard

Life expectancy at birth was at 60.7 in 2007.[74] The fertility rate is at six births per woman.[74] Healthy life expectancy at birth was at 55 years in 2007.[74]Government expenditure on health was at US$150 (PPP) per person in 2006.[74] Many people in East Timor lack safe drinking water.[76] There were two hospitals and 14 village healthcare facilities in 1974. By 1994 there were 11 hospitals and 330 healthcare centres.[59] SONY Vaio PCG-K215Z Laptop Keyboard

The 2010 maternal mortality rate per 100,000 births for East Timor is 370. This is compared with 928.6 in 2008 and 1016.3 in 1990. The under 5 mortality rate, per 1,000 births is 60 and the neonatal mortality as a percentage of under 5's mortality is 48.[78] In Timor-Leste the number of midwives per 1,000 live births is 8 and lifetime risk of death for pregnant women is 1 in 44.[79] ACER Aspire 7520 Laptop Keyboard

Because of a Cuban-East Timorese doctor-training programme initiated 2003, by 2015 East Timor will have more doctors per capita than any other country in south-east Asia.[80] SONY Vaio PCG-K23 Laptop Keyboard

Indonesia occupied East Timor from December 1975 to October 1999. After centuries of Portuguese colonial rule in East Timor, a 1974 coup in Portugal led to decolonization among its former colonies, creating instability in East Timor and leaving its future uncertain. After a small-scale civil war, the pro-independence FRETILIN declared victory in the capital city of Dili and declared an independent East Timor on 28 November 1975. SONY Vaio PCG-K315Z Laptop Keyboard

Claiming its assistance had been requested by East Timorese leaders, Indonesian military forces invaded on 7 December and by 1979 had all but destroyed armed resistance to the occupation. Following a controversial "Popular Assembly" which many said was not a genuine act of self-determination, Indonesia declared the territory a province of Indonesia. SONY Vaio PCG-K25 Laptop Keyboard

For twenty-four years the Indonesian government subjected the people of East Timor to extrajudicial executions, routine and systematic torture, massacres and deliberate starvation. The 1991 Santa Cruz Massacre caused outrage around the world, and reports of other such killings were numerous. Resistance to Indonesian rule remained strong;[1] Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

in 1996 theNobel Peace Prize was awarded to two men from East Timor, Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo and José Ramos-Horta, for their ongoing efforts to peacefully end the occupation. A 1999 vote to determine East Timor's future resulted in an overwhelming majority in favor of independence, and in 2002 East Timor became an independent nation. The Commission for Reception, HP Mini 110-1169TU Laptop Keyboard

Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor estimated the number of deaths during the occupation from famine and violence to be between 90,800 and 202,600 including between 17,600 and 19,600 violent deaths or disappearances, out of a 1999 population of approximately 823,386. The truth commission held Indonesian forces responsible for about 70% of the violent killings.[2][3][4] Compaq 6720s Laptop Keyboard

Immediately after the invasion, the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council passed resolutions condemning Indonesia's actions and calling for immediate withdrawal. The governments of the United States, Australia, and United Kingdom were supportive of Indonesia throughout the occupation. Australia and Indonesia were the only nations in the world to recognise East Timor as a province of Indonesia, HP G62-130EV Laptop Keyboard

and soon afterwards began negotiations to divide resources found in the Timor Gap. Other governments, including Japan, Canada and Malaysia, also supported the Indonesian government. The invasion and suppression of East Timor's independence movement, however, caused great harm to Indonesia's reputation and international credibility.[5] ACER Aspire 5535 Laptop Keyboard

After the 1999 vote for independence, paramilitary groups working with the Indonesian military undertook a final wave of violence during which most of the country's infrastructure was destroyed. The Australian led International Force for East Timorrestored order and following the departure of Indonesian forces from East Timor, HP Pavilion dv3-2360ee Laptop Keyboard

the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor administered the territory for two years, establishing a Serious Crimes Unit to investigate and prosecute crimes committed during 1999. Its limited scope and the small number of sentences delivered by Indonesian courts have caused numerous observers to call for an international tribunal for East Timor.[6][7] GATEWAY M-6846 Laptop Keyboard

The Portuguese first arrived in Timor in the 16th century, and in 1702 East Timor came under Portuguese colonial administration.[8] Portuguese rule was tenuous until the island was divided with the Dutch Empire in 1860.[9] A significant battleground during the Pacific War, East Timor was occupied by 20,000 Japanese troops. The fighting helped prevent a Japanese occupation of Australia, but resulted in 60,000 East Timorese deaths.[10]

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A 1959 revolt in East Timor against the Portuguese was not endorsed by the Indonesian government.[11] A 1962 United Nations document notes: "the government of Indonesia has declared that it maintains friendly relations with Portugal and has no claim to Portuguese Timor...".[12] Lenovo Thinkpad T520 Laptop Keyboard

These assurances continued after Suhartotook power in 1965. An Indonesian official declared in December 1974: "Indonesia has no territorial ambition ... Thus there is no question of Indonesia wishing to annex Portuguese Timor."[13] Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

In 1974, a coup in Lisbon caused significant changes in Portugal's relationship to its colony in Timor.[14] The power shift in Europe invigorated movements for independence in colonies like Mozambique and Angola, and the new Portuguese government began a decolonization process for East Timor. The first of these was an opening of the political process.[15] COMPAQ Presario CQ41-204TX Laptop Keyboard

When East Timorese political parties were first legalised in April 1974, three groupings emerged as major players in the postcolonial landscape. The União Democrática Timorense (Timorese Democratic Union, or UDT), was formed in May by a group of wealthy landowners. HP 640436-001 Laptop Keyboard

Initially dedicated to preserving East Timor as a protectorate of Portugal, in September UDT announced its support for independence.[16] A week later, the Frente Revolucionária de Timor-Leste Independente(Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor, or FRETILIN) appeared. Initially organised as the ASDT (Associacão Social Democrata Timorense), the group endorsed "the universal doctrines of socialism", as well as "the right to independence".[17] HP Pavilion DV6-1030us Laptop Keyboard

As the political process grew more tense, however, the group changed its name and declared itself "the only legitimate representative of the people".[18] The end of May saw the creation of a third party, Associacão Popular Democratica Timorense (Timorese Popular Democratic Association, or APODETI). HP Mini 210-1015TU Laptop Keyboard

Advocating East Timor's integration with Indonesia and originally named Associacão Integraciacao de Timor Indonesia (Association for the Integration of Timor into Indonesia),[19] APODETI expressed concerns that an independent East Timor would then be economically weak and vulnerable.[20] GATEWAY M-6823A Laptop Keyboard

Indonesian nationalist and military hardliners, particularly leaders of the intelligence agency Kopkamtib and special operations unit, Opsus, saw the Portuguese coup as an opportunity for East Timor's integration with Indonesia. The central government and military feared that an East Timor governed by leftists could be used as a base for incursions by unfriendly powers into Indonesia, HP 441426-001 Laptop Keyboard

and also that an independent East Timor within the archipelago could inspire secessionist sentiments within Indonesian provinces. The fear of national disintegration were played upon military leaders close to Suharto and remained as one of Indonesia's strongest justifications for Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

refusing to entertain the prospect of East Timorese independence or even autonomy until the late 1990s.[21] The military intelligence organisations initially sought a non-military annexationstrategy, intending to use APODETI as its integration vehicle.[22] TOSHIBA Satellite M645-S4070 Laptop Keyboard

In January 1975, UDT and FRETILIN established a tentative coalition dedicated to achieving independence for East Timor.[23]At the same time, the Australian government reported that the Indonesian military had conducted a "pre-invasion" exercise atLampung.[24] For months, the Indonesian Special Operations command, TOSHIBA NB100-11G Laptop Keyboard

OPSUS, had been covertly supporting APODETI throughOperasi Komodo (Operation Komodo, named after the lizard). By broadcasting accusations of communism among FRETILIN leaders and sowing discord in the UDT coalition, the Indonesian government fostered instability in East Timor and, observers said, created a pretext for invading.[25] By May tensions between the two groups caused UDT to withdraw from the coalition.[26] TOSHIBA Satellite L755-SP5102CL Laptop Keyboard

In an attempt to negotiate a settlement to the dispute over East Timor's future, the Portuguese Decolonization Commission convened a conference in June 1975 inMacau. FRETILIN boycotted the meeting in protest of APODETI's presence; representatives of UDT and APODETI complained that this was an effort to obstruct the decolonization process.[27] In his 1987 memoir Funu: HP 640436-001 Laptop Keyboard

The Unfinished Saga of East Timor, FRETILIN leader José Ramos-Horta recalls his "vehement protests" against his party's refusal to attend the meeting. "This", he writes, "was one of our tactical political errors for which I could never find an intelligent explanation."[28] HP G42-366TX laptop keyboard

Once they had gained control of East Timor, FRETILIN faced attacks from the west, by Indonesian military forces—then known as Angkatan Bersenjata Republik Indonesia (ABRI)—and by a small group of UDT troops.[35] Indonesia captured the border city of Batugadé on 8 October 1975; nearby Balibó and Maliana were taken eight days later.[36] During the Balibó raid, HP Mini 210 laptop keyboard

members of an Australian television news crew—later dubbed the "Balibo Five"—were killed by Indonesian soldiers.[37] Indonesian military officials say the deaths were accidental, and East Timorese witnesses say the journalists were deliberately killed. The deaths, and subsequent campaigns and investigations, attracted international attention and rallied support for East Timorese independence.[38] Packard Bell PEW91 laptop keyboard

At the start of November, the foreign ministers from Indonesia and Portugal met in Rome to discuss a resolution of the conflict. Although no Timorese leaders were invited to the talks, FRETILIN sent a message expressing their desire to work with Portugal. ACER Aspire 5051AWXC laptop keyboard

The meeting ended with both parties agreeing that Portugal would meet with political leaders in East Timor, but the talks never took place.[39] In mid-November, Indonesian forces began shelling the city of Atabae from the sea, and captured it by the end of the month.[40] HP Pavilion DV9001EA laptop keyboard

Frustrated by Portugal's inaction, FRETILIN leaders believed they could ward off Indonesian advances more effectively if they declared an independent East Timor. National Political Commissioner Mari Alkatiri conducted a diplomatic tour of Africa, gathering support from governments there and elsewhere. Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 laptop keyboard

According to FRETILIN, this effort yielded assurances from twenty-five countries—including the People's Republic of China, the Soviet Union, Mozambique, Sweden, and Cuba—to recognise the new nation. Cuba currently shares close relations with East Timor today. On 28 November 1975, HP Pavilion dv6-3089la laptop keyboard

FRETILIN unilaterally declared independence for the Democratic Republic of East Timor.[41] Indonesia announced, UDT and APODETI leaders in and around Balibó would responded the next day by declaring that region independent from East Timor and officially part of Indonesia.  HP Pavilion dv4-1201tu laptop keyboard

But this Balibo Declaration was drafted by Indonesian intelligence and signed on Bali. Later this was described as the 'Balibohong Declaration', a pun on the Indonesian word for 'lie'.[42][43] Portugal rejected both declarations, and the Indonesian government approved military action to begin its annexation of East Timor.[44] SONY VAIO VGN-N11S laptop keyboard

On 7 December 1975, Indonesian forces invaded East Timor. Operasi Seroja (Operation Lotus) was the largest military operation ever carried out by that nation.[44][45] Troops from FRETILIN's military organization FALINTILengaged ABRI forces in the streets of Dili, and reported 400 Indonesian paratroopers were killed as they descended into the city.[46] HP G62-459TX laptop keyboard

Angkasa Magazine reports 35 dead Indonesian troops, and 122 from the Fretilin side.[47] By the end of the year, 10,000 troops occupied Dili and another 20,000 had been deployed throughout East Timor.[46][48] ACER NSK-H3M1D laptop keyboard

Massively outnumbered, FALINTIL troops fled to the mountains and continued guerrilla combat operations.[49] Indonesian soldiers in towns, particularly Dili, were reported to have indiscriminately killed civilians, including the rape and killing of women and children.[50] SONY Vaio PCG-K215Z laptop keyboard

In March 1976, UDT leader Lopez da Cruz reported that 60,000 Timorese had been killed during the invasion. A delegation of Indonesian relief workers agreed with this statistic.[52] In an interview on 5 April 1977 with the Sydney Morning Herald, Indonesian Foreign Minister Adam Malik said the number of dead was "50,000 people or perhaps 80,000".[51] SONY Vaio PCG-K23 Laptop Keyboard

The Indonesian government presented its annexation of East Timor as a matter of anticolonial unity. A 1977 booklet from the Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs, entitled Decolonization in East Timor, paid tribute to the "sacred right of self-determination"[53] DELL Latitude E5500 Laptop Keyboard

and recognised APODETI as the true representatives of the East Timorese majority. It claimed that FRETILIN's popularity was the result of a "policy of threats, blackmail and terror".[54] Later, Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatasreiterated this position in his 2006 memoir The Pebble in the Shoe: The Diplomatic Struggle for East Timor.[55] The island's original division into east and west,  Lenovo 3000 Y500 Laptop Keyboard

Indonesia argued after the invasion, was "the result of colonial oppression" enforced by the Portuguese and Dutch imperial powers. Thus, according to the Indonesian government, its annexation of the 27th province was merely another step in the unification of the archipelago which had begun in the 1940s.[56] DELL Inspiron 6400 Laptop Keyboard

On the day following the invasion, a committee of the United Nations General Assembly convened to debate the situation. Nations allied with Indonesia—including India, Japan, and Malaysia—wrote a resolution blaming Portugal and the Timorese political parties for the bloodshed; it was rejected in favor of a draft prepared by Algeria, Cuba, Senegal, and Guyana, among others. THP Mini 210-1170NR Laptop Keyboard

his was adopted as GA Resolution 3485 (XXX) on 12 December, calling on Indonesia to "withdraw without delay".[57] Ten days later the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 384 (1975), which echoes the GA resolution's call for an immediate Indonesian withdrawal.[58] HP Pavilion DV7-3065dx Laptop Keyboard

One year later the Security Council expressed the same sentiment in Resolution 389 (1976), and the General Assembly passed resolutions every year between 1976 and 1982 calling for self-determination in East Timor.[59] Governments of large countries like China and the United States opposed further action; DELL PVDG3 Laptop Keyboard

smaller countries like Costa Rica, Guinea-Bissau, and Iceland were the only delegations calling for strong enforcement of the resolutions.[60]The 1982 resolution calls on the UN Secretary-General to "initiate consultations with all parties directly concerned, with a view to exploring avenues for achieving a comprehensive settlement of the problem".[61] ACER Aspire 7520 Laptop Keyboard

Legal expert Roger S. Clark notes that Indonesia's invasion and occupation violated two key elements of international law: the right to self-determination and the prohibition on aggression. Neither the petition of 7 September 1975 calling for integration, nor the later resolution of the "People's Assembly"HP 640436-001 Laptop Keyboard

in May 1976, qualify as "informed and democratic processes impartially conducted and based on universal adult suffrage", as required by UN General Assembly Resolution 1541 (XV), which establishes the guidelines for the norms of self-determination. Other inadequacies existed in the petitions as well.[62] Lenovo 45N2106 Laptop Keyboard

Indonesia's use of military force in East Timor is cited as a violation of Chapter I of the United Nations Charter, which states: "All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state...." HP 502958-001 Laptop Keyboard

Some observers have argued that East Timor was not a state at the time of the invasion, and is thus not protected by the UN Charter. This claim mirrors those made against Indonesia by the Dutch during the Indonesian National Revolution.[63] As legal scholar Susan Marks points out, if East Timor was considered a Portuguese colony, Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

then although "there may be some doubt about the application of this provision [of UN Charter Chapter I] in the context of an armed conflict between a colonial power and its own colony, there can hardly be doubt that it applies to force by one sovereign state against another state's colony".[64] SAMSUNG NP-N150-JP01 Laptop Keyboard

On 17 December, Indonesia formed the Provisional Government of East Timor (PGET) which was headed by Arnaldo dos Reis Araújo of APODETI as president and Lopez da Cruz of UDT.[65] Most sources describe this institution as a creation of the Indonesian military.[66] One of PGET's first activities was the formation of a "Popular Assembly" consisting of elected representatives and leaders "from various walks of Timorese life".[67] HP Compaq G50-102NR Laptop Keyboard

Like the PGET itself, the Popular Assembly is usually characterised as an instrument of propaganda created by the Indonesian military; although international journalists were invited to witness the group's meeting in May 1976, their movement was tightly constrained.[68] The Assembly drafted a request for formal integration into Indonesia, which Jakarta described as "the act of self-determination" in East Timor.[69] HP 640436-001 Laptop Keyboard

Indonesia kept East Timor shut off from the rest of the world, except for a few years in the late 1980s and early 1990s, claiming that the vast majority of East Timorese supported integration. This position was followed closely by the Indonesian media such that an East Timorese acceptance of their integration with Indonesia was taken for granted by, and was a non-issue for, the majority of Indonesians.[71] Lenovo Thinkpad T520 Laptop Keyboard

Starting in September 1977, Indonesian forces began what Catholic officials in East Timor called an "encirclement and annihilation" campaign.[72] 35,000 ABRI troops surrounded areas of FRETILIN support and killed hundreds of men, women, and children. Air and naval bombardments were followed by ground troops, who destroyed villages and agricultural infrastructure. HP Pavilion DV7-3164cl laptop keyboard

Thousands of people may have been killed during this period.[73] During a firefight with Indonesian troops in December 1978, FRETILIN's leader Nicolau Lobato was killed. His successor was Xanana Gusmão, who was instrumental in building the National Council of Maubere Resistance (CNRM), an umbrella structure for people and groups opposed to the occupation.[74] GATEWAY MX3228 laptop keyboard

Indonesian forces moved hundreds of thousands of people into camps, where they were imprisoned and subjected to hunger.[75] FRETILIN radio claimed Indonesian planes dropped chemical agents, and several observers—including the Bishop of Dili—reported seeing napalm dropped on the countryside[citation needed].[76] HP Pavilion dv3-2155mx laptop keyboard

 In 1981 the Indonesian military launched Operasi Keamanan (Operation Security), which some have named the "fence of legs" program. 50,000 East Timorese men and boys were ordered to march through the mountains, sweeping guerrillas into the central part of the region. The operation failed to crush the resistance, and popular resentment toward the occupation grew stronger than ever.[77] ASUS F3L laptop keyboard

As FRETILIN troops in the mountains continued their sporadic attacks, Indonesian forces carried out numerous operations to destroy them over the next ten years. In the cities and villages, meanwhile, a non-violent resistance movement began to take shape.[78] HP Mini 110-3113eo Laptop Keyboard

At the same time, Indonesian forces carried out a widespread campaign of killing, torture, forced disappearances, political imprisonment, and other abuses of human rights.[79] Starting in 1981, Indonesian officials sent thousands of prisoners to Atauro Island, where Amnesty International described the conditions as "deplorable".[80] SAMSUNG N140 Laptop Keyboard

Massacres by the Indonesian military have been documented across East Timor. In September 1981, 400 civilians were killed in Lacluta, and in August 1983, 200 people were burned alive in the village of Creras, with 500 others killed at a nearby river. An eyewitness who testified before the Australian Senate stated that soldiers deliberately killed small children by smashing their heads against a rock.[81] Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

Those suspected of opposing integration were often arrested and tortured.[82] In 1983 Amnesty International published an Indonesian manual it had received from East Timor instructing military personnel on how to inflict physical and mental anguish, and cautioning troops to "Avoid taking photographs showing torture (of someone being given electric shocks, stripped naked and so on)".[83TOSHIBA Satellite L300 Laptop Keyboard

] In his 1997 memoir East Timor's Unfinished Struggle: Inside the Timorese Resistance,Constâncio Pinto describes being tortured by Indonesian soldiers: "With each question, I would get two or three punches in the face. When someone punches you so much and so hard, it feels as if your face is broken. People hit me on my back and on my sides with their hands and then kicked me....  ACER Aspire 5315 Laptop Keyboard

[In another location] they psychologically tortured me; they didn't hit me, but they made strong threats to kill me. They even put a gun on the table."[84] In Michele Turner's bookTelling East Timor: Personal Testimonies 1942–1992, a woman named Fátima describes watching torture take place in a Dili prison: Compaq Presario CQ57 Series Laptop Keyboard

"They make people sit on a chair with the front of the chair on their own toes. It is mad, yes. The soldiers urinate in the food then mix it up for the person to eat. They use electric shock and they use an electric machine...."[85] HP G62-361TX Laptop Keyboard

Indonesian military abuses against women in East Timor were numerous and well-documented.[86] In addition to suffering arbitrary detainment, torture, and extrajudicial execution, women faced rape and sexual abuse—sometimes for the crime of being related to an independence activist.  ACER Aspire 5610Z Laptop Keyboard

The scope of the problem is difficult to ascertain, owing to the intense military control imposed during the occupation, compounded by the shame felt by victims. In a 1995 report on violence against women in Indonesia and East Timor, Amnesty International USA wrote: "Women are reluctant to pass on information to non-governmental organizations about rape and sexual abuse, let alone to report violations to the military or police authorities."[87] DELL Vostro 3550 Laptop Keyboard

Other forms of violence against women took the form of harassment, intimidation, and enforced marriage. The Amnesty report cites the case of a woman forced to live with a commander in Baucau, then harassed daily by troops after her release.[87] Such "marriages" took place regularly during the occupation.[88]  ASUS X53S Laptop Keyboard

Women were also encouraged to accept sterilization procedures, and some were pressured to take the contraceptive Depo Provera, sometimes without full knowledge of its effects.[89] SONY 147915321 Laptop Keyboard

In 1999 researcher Rebecca Winters released the book Buibere: Voice of East Timorese Women, which chronicles many personal stories of violence and abuse dating to the earliest days of the occupation. One woman tells of being interrogated while stripped half-naked, tortured, molested, and threatened with death.[90] HP 506782-001 Laptop Keyboard

Another describes being chained at the hands and feet, raped repeatedly, and interrogated for weeks.[91] A woman who had prepared food for FRETILIN guerrillas was arrested, burned with cigarettes, tortured with electricity, and forced to walk naked past a row of soldiers into a tank filled with urine and feces.[92] GATEWAY M-1625 Laptop Keyboard

With large sectors of the population forced into resettlement camps, food production was severely limited. Those in the camps were allowed to farm only a small area of land nearby, and constant re-use of soil made it barren.[93] Hunger and starvation began to claim thousands of lives in the late 1970s. ASUS F3M Laptop Keyboard

One church worker reported five hundred East Timorese dying of starvation every month in one district.[94] World Vision Indonesia visited East Timor in October 1978 and claimed that 70,000 East Timorese were at risk of starvation.[95] An envoy from the International Committee of the Red Cross reported in 1979 that 80 percent of one camp's population was malnourished, SONY VAIO VGN-FS742/W Laptop Keyboard

in a situation that was "as bad as Biafra".[96] The ICRC warned that "tens of thousands" were at risk of starvation.[97]Indonesia announced that it was working through the government-run Indonesian Red Cross to alleviate the crisis, but the NGO Action for World Development charged that organization with selling donated aid supplies.[94]  HP Mini 110-1169TU Laptop Keyboard

In 2006 the UN's Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor released a 2,500-page report that accused the Indonesian military of using enforced starvation as a weapon to exterminate the East Timorese civilian population, and that large numbers of people were "positively denied access to food and its sources".DELL Vostro 1510 Laptop Keyboard

The report, based on interviews with over 8,000 witnesses, as well as Indonesian military papers and intelligence from international sources, stated that the Indonesians used chemical weapons and napalm to poison food and water supplies.[98][99] HP Pavilion dv3-2011tx Laptop Keyboard

The group's final report cites testimony from individuals who were denied food, and details destruction of crops and livestock by Indonesian soldiers.[100] It concluded that a minimum of 73,000 people died due to hunger and illness as a result of the occupation.[101] TOSHIBA NB100-11G Laptop Keyboard

The Indonesian government reported in 1977 that several mass graves containing "scores" of people killed by FRETILIN had been found near Ailieu and Samé.[102]Amnesty International confirmed these reports in 1985, TOSHIBA Satellite L550-ST2743 laptop keyboard

and also expressed concern about several extrajudicial killings for which FRETILIN had claimed responsibility.[103] In 1997 Human Rights Watch condemned a series of attacks carried out by FRETILIN, which led to the deaths of nine civilians.[104] HP Pavilion DV7-3110tx laptop keyboard

The Portuguese language was banned in East Timor and Indonesian was made the language of government, education and public commerce, and the Indonesian school curriculum was implemented. The official Indonesian national ideology, Pancasila, was applied to East Timor and government jobs were restricted to those holding certification in Pancasila training. HP G61-465SL laptop keyboard

East Timoreseanimist belief systems did not fit with Indonesia's constitutional monotheism, resulting in mass conversions to Christianity. Portuguese clergy were replaced with Indonesian priests and Latin and Portuguese mass was replaced by Indonesian mass.[105] Packard Bell NEW90 laptop keyboard

Before the invasion, less than 30 percent of East Timorese were Roman Catholics, and by the 1980s, 80 percent were registered as Catholics.[105] With a 90 percent Catholic population, East Timor is currently one of the most densely Catholic countries in the world.[106] SONY Vaio PCG-K315M laptop keyboard

East Timor was a particular focus for the Indonesian government's transmigration program, which aimed to resettle Indonesians from densely to less populated regions. Media censorship under the "New Order" meant that the state of conflict in East Timor was unknown to the transmigrants, HP Mini 110-3504tu laptop keyboard

 predominantly poor Javanese and Balinese wet-rice farmers. On arrival they found themselves under ongoing threat of attack by East Timorese resistance fighters, and became the object of local resentment, since large tracts of land belonging to East Timorese had been compulsorily appropriated by the Indonesian government for transmigrant settlement. HP Mini 110-3504tu laptop keyboard

Although many gave up and returned to their island of origin, those migrants that stayed in East Timor contributed to the "Indonesianisation" of East Timor's integration.[107] 662 transmigrant families (2,208 people) settled in East Timor in 1993,[108] Hp Envy 13-1940EZ Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

whereas an estimated 150,000 free Indonesian settlers lived in East Timor by the mid-1990s, including those offered jobs in education and administration.[109] Migration increased resentment amongst Timorese who were overtaken by more business savvy immigrants.[110] Hp Envy 13t-1000 Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

Following the invasion, Portuguese commercial interests were taken over by Indonesians.[111] The border with West Timor was opened resulting in an influx of West Timorese farmers, Hp Envy 14 Series Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

and in January 1989 the territory was open to private investment. Economic life in the towns was subsequently brought under the control of entrepreneurial Bugis, Makassarese, and Butonese immigrants from South Sulawesi, while East Timor products were exported under partnerships between army officials Indonesian businessmen.[112] Denok, a military-controlled firm, Hp Envy 14-1000wx Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

monopolised some of East Timor's most lucrative commercial activities, including sandal wood export, hotels, and the import of consumer products.[113] The group's most profitable business, however, was its monopoly on the export of coffee, which was the territory's most valuable cash crop.[114] Indonesian entrepreneurs came to dominate non-Denok/military enterprises, and local manufactures from the Portuguese period made way for Indonesian imports.[113] Hp Envy 14-1000xx Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

The Indonesian government's primary response to criticism of its policies was to highlight its funding of development in East Timor's health, education, communications, transportation, and agriculture.[115] East Timor, however, remained poor following centuries of Portuguese colonial neglect and Indonesian criticGeorge Aditjondro points out that conflict in the early years of occupation lead to sharp drops in rice and coffee production, Hp Envy 14-1001tx Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

and livestock populations.[116]Other critics argue that infrastructure development, such as road construction, is often designed to facilitate Indonesian military and corporate interests.[117]While the military controlled key businesses, private investors, both Indonesian and international, Hp Envy 14-1002tx Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

avoided the territory. Despite improvements since 1976, a 1993 Indonesian government report estimated that in three-quarters of East Timor's 61 districts, more than half lived in poverty.[118] Hp Envy 14-1003tx Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

Major investment by the Indonesian government to improve East Timor's infrastructure, and health and education facilities since 1975, did not end East Timorese resistance to Indonesian rule.[119] Hp Envy 14-1004tx Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

Although by the 1980s Fretilin forces had dropped to a few hundred armed men, Fretilin increased its contacts with young Timorese especially in Dili, and an un-armed civil resistance seeking self-determination took shape. Many of those in the protest movements were young children at the time of the invasion and had been educated under the Indonesian system. Hp Envy 14-1005tx Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

They resented the repression of Timorese cultural and political life at the expense of the Indonesian, were ambivalent of Indonesian economic development, and spoke Portuguese amongst themselves, stressing their Portuguese heritage. Seeking help from Portugal for self-determination, Hp Envy 14-1006tx Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

they considered Indonesia an occupying force.[120] Abroad, Fretilin's members—most notably former journalistJosé Ramos-Horta (later to be Prime Minister and President)—pushed their cause in diplomatic forums.[121] Hp Envy 14-1007tx Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

The reduced armed resistance prompted the Indonesian government in 1988 to open up East Timor to improve its commercial prospects, including a lifting of the travel ban on journalists. The new policy came from foreign minister Ali Alatas against the advice of the military leadership who feared it would lead to loss of control. Hp Envy 14-1008tx Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

Alatas and diplomats swayed Suharto of the policy as a response to international concerns. In late 1989, hardline military commander Brigadier General Mulyadi was replaced by Brigadier General Rudolph Warouw who promised a more "persuasive" approach to anti-integrationists. Restrictions on travel within the territory were reduced, Hp Envy 14-1009tx Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

groups of political prisoners were released, and the use of torture in interrogation became less common. Warouw attempted to increase military discipline; in February 1990 an Indonesian soldier was prosecuted for unlawful conduct in East Timor, the first such action since the invasion.[122] SONY PCG-GR300 Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

A reduced fear of persecution encouraged the resistance movements; anti-integration protests accompanied high-profile visits to East Timor including that of Pope John Paul II in 1989.[123] The end of the Cold War removed much of the justification for western support of Indonesia's occupation. SONY PCG-GR300K Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

The resulting increase in international attention to self-determination and human rights put further pressure on Indonesia.[124] Subsequent events within East Timor in the 1990s helped to dramatically raise the international profile of East Timor, which in turn significantly boosted the momentum of the resistance groups.[125] SONY PCG-GR315MP Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

During a memorial mass on 12 November 1991 for a pro-independence youth shot by Indonesian troops, demonstrators among the 2,500-strong crowd unfurled the Fretlin flag and banners with pro-independence slogans, and chanted boisterously but peacefully.[126] Following a brief confrontation between Indonesian troops and protesters,[127] 200 Indonesian soldiers opened fire on the crowd killing at least 250 Timorese.[128] SONY PCG-GR37 Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

The testimonies of foreigners at the cemetery were quickly reported to international news organisations, and video footage of the massacre was widely broadcast internationally[129] causing outrage.[130] In response to the massacre, activists around the world organised in solidarity with the East Timorese, and a new urgency was brought to calls for self-determination.[131] SONY PCG-GR370 Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

TAPOL, a British organization formed in 1973 to advocate for democracy in Indonesia, increased its work around East Timor. In the United States, the East Timor Action Network (now the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network) was founded and soon had chapters in ten cities around the country.[132] Other solidarity groups appeared in Portugal, Australia, Japan, Germany, Malaysia, Ireland, SONY PCG-GR370K Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

and Brazil. Coverage of the massacre was a vivid example of how growth of new media in Indonesia was making it increasingly difficult for the "New Order" to control information flow in and out of Indonesia, and that in the post-Cold War 1990s, the government was coming under increasing international scrutiny.[133] SONY PCG-GR370P Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

A number of pro-democracy student groups and their magazines began to openly and critically discuss not just East Timor, but also the "New Order" and the broader history and future of Indonesia.[131][133][134] SONY PCG-GR390 Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

Sharp condemnation of the military came not just from the international community, but from within parts of the Indonesian elite. The massacre ended the governments 1989 opening of the territory and a new period of repression began.[70] SONY PCG-GR390K Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

Warouw was removed from his position and his more accommodating approach to Timorese resistance rebuked by his superiors. Suspected Fretilin sympathisers were arrested, human rights abuses rose, and the ban on foreign journalists was reimposed. Hatred intensified amongst Timorese of the Indonesian military presence.[135] Major General Prabowo's, Kopassus Group 3 trained militias gangs dressed in black hoods to crush the remaining resistance.[70] SONY PCG-GR3BP Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

Independence for East Timor, or even limited regional autonomy, was never going to be allowed under Suharto's New Order. Notwithstanding Indonesian public opinion in the 1990s occasionally showing begrudging appreciation of the Timorese position, it was widely feared that an independent East Timor would destabilise Indonesian unity.[147] SONY PCG-GR3F Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, however, caused tremendous upheaval in Indonesia and led to Suharto's resignation in May 1998, ending his thirty-year presidency.[148] Prabowo, by then in command of the powerful Indonesian Strategic Reserve, went into exile in Jordan and military operations in East Timor were costing the bankrupt Indonesian government a million dollars a day.[70] SONY PCG-GR3F/BP Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

The subsequent "reformasi" period of relative political openness and transition, included unprecedented debate about Indonesia's relationship with East Timor. For the remainder of 1998, discussion forums took place throughout Dili working towards a referendum.[70] Foreign Minister Alatas, SONY PCG-GR3N Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

described plans for phased autonomy leading to possible independence as "all pain, no gain" for Indonesia.[149] On 8 June 1998, three weeks after taking office, Suharto's successor B. J. Habibie announced that Indonesia would soon offer East Timor a special plan for autonomy.[148] SONY PCG-GR3N/BP Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

In late 1998, the Australian Government of John Howard drafted a letter to Indonesia advising of a change in Australian policy, and advocating for the staging of referendum on independence within a decade. President Habibie saw such an arrangement as implying "colonial rule" by Indonesia and he decided to call a snap referendum on the issue.[150] SONY PCG-GR5BP Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

Indonesia and Portugal announced on 5 May 1999 that it had agreed to hold a vote allowing the people of East Timor to choose between the autonomy plan or independence. The vote, to be administered by the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET), was originally scheduled for 8 August but later postponed until 30 August. SONY PCG-GR5E Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

Indonesia also took responsibility for security; this arrangement caused worry in East Timor, but many observers believe that Indonesia would have refused to allow foreign peacekeepers during the vote.[151] SONY PCG-GR5E/BP Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

As groups supporting autonomy and independence began campaigning, a series of pro-integration paramilitary groups of East Timorese began threatening violence—and indeed committing violence—around the country. SONY PCG-GR5F Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

Alleging pro-independence bias on the part of UNAMET, the groups were seen working with and receiving training from Indonesian soldiers. Before the May agreement was announced, an April paramilitary attack in Liquiça left dozens of East Timorese dead. On 16 May 1999, a gang accompanied by Indonesian troops attacked suspected independence activists in the village of Atara; SONY PCG-GR5F/BP Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

in June another group attacked a UNAMET office in Maliana. Indonesian authorities claimed to be helpless to stop the violence between rival factions among the East Timorese, but Ramos-Horta joined many others in scoffing at such notions.[152] In February 1999 he said: "Before [Indonesia] withdraws it wants to wreak major havoc and destabilization, as it has always promised. We have consistently heard that over the years from the Indonesian military in Timor."[153] Acer Aspire 1412LC Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

As militia leaders warned of a "bloodbath", Indonesian "roving ambassador" Francisco Lopes da Cruz declared: "If people reject autonomy there is the possibility blood will flow in East Timor."[154] Acer Aspire 1412LCi Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

 One paramilitary announced that a vote for independence would result in a "sea of fire", an expression referring to theBandung Sea of Fire during Indonesia's own war of independence from the Dutch.[155] As the date of the vote drew near, reports of anti-independence violence continued to accumulate.[156] Acer Aspire 1412LM Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

The day of the vote, 30 August 1999, was generally calm and orderly. 98.6 percent of registered voters cast ballots, and on 4 September UN Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan announced that 78.5 percent of the votes had been cast for independence.[157] Acer Aspire 1412LMi Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

Brought up on the "New Order"'s insistence that the East Timorese supported integration, Indonesians were either shocked by, or disbelieved that the East Timorese had voted against being part of Indonesia. Many accepted media stories blaming the supervising United Nations and Australia who had pressured Habibie for a resolution.[158] Acer Aspire 1412WLMi Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

Within hours of the results, paramilitary groups had begun attacking people and setting fires around the capital Dili. Foreign journalists and election observers fled, and tens of thousands of East Timorese took to the mountains. Islamic gangs attacked Dili's Catholic Diocese building, Acer Aspire 1413 Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

killing two dozen people; the next day, the headquarters of the ICRC was attacked and burned to the ground. Almost one hundred people were killed later in Suai, and reports of similar massacres poured in from around East Timor.[159] The UN withdrew most of its personnel, but the Dili compound had been flooded with refugees. Acer Aspire 1413LC Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

 Four UN workers refused to evacuate unless the refugees were withdrawn as well, insisting they would rather die at the hands of the paramilitary groups.[157] At the same time, Indonesian troops and paramilitary gangs forced over 200,000 people into West Timor, into camps described by Human Rights Watch as "deplorable conditions".[160] Acer Aspire 1414 Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

When a UN delegation arrived in Jakarta on 8 September, they were told by Indonesian President Habibie that reports of bloodshed in East Timor were "fantasies" and "lies".[161] General Wiranto of the Indonesian military insisted that his soldiers had the situation under control, and later expressed his emotion for East Timor by singing the 1975 hit song "Feelings" at an event for military wives.[162][163] Acer Aspire 1414L Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

The violence was met with widespread public anger in Australia, Portugal and elsewhere and activists in Portugal, Australia, the United States and other nations pressured their governments to take action. Australian Prime Minister John Howardconsulted United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and lobbied U.S. President Bill Clinton to support an Australian led international peace keeper force to enter East Timor to end the violence. Acer Aspire 1414LC Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

The United States offered crucial logistical and intelligence resources and an "over-horizon" deterrent presence, but did not commit forces to the operation. Finally, on 11 September, Bill Clinton announced:[165] Acer Aspire 1414LM Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

Indonesia, in dire economic straits relented. President BJ Habibie announced on 12 September that Indonesia would withdraw Indonesian soldiers and allow an Australian-led international peacekeeping force to enter East Timor.[166] Acer Aspire 1414LMi Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

On 15 September 1999, the United Nations Security Council expressed concern at the deteriorating situation in East Timor, and issued UNSC Resolution 1264 calling for a multinational force to restore peace and security to East Timor, to protect and support the United Nations mission there, and to facilitate humanitarian assistance operations until such time as a United Nations peacekeeping force could be approved and deployed in the area.[167] Acer Aspire 1414WLCi Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

The International Force for East Timor, or INTERFET, under the command of Australian Major General Peter Cosgrove, entered Dili on 20 September and by 31 October the last Indonesian troops had left East Timor.[164] The arrival of thousands of international troops in East Timor caused the militia to flee across the border into Indonesia, from whence sporadic cross-border raids by the militia against INTERFET forces were conducted. Acer Aspire 1414WLMi Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) was established at the end of October and administered the region for two years. Control of the nation was turned over to the Government of East Timor and independence was declared on 20 May 2002.[168] On 27 September of the same year, East Timor joined the United Nations as its 191st member state.[169] Acer Aspire 1415 Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

The bulk of the military forces of INTERFET were Australian—more than 5,500 troops at its peak, including an infantry brigade, with armoured and aviation support—while eventually 22 nations contributed to the force which at its height numbered over 11,000 troops.[170] The United States provided crucial logistic and diplomatic support throughout the crisis, Acer Aspire 1415LMi Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

while the cruiser USS Mobile Bay protected the INTERFET naval fleet and a U.S. Marine infantry battalion of 1,000 men—plus organic armour and artillery—was also stationed off the coast aboard the USS Belleau Wood in order to provide a strategic reserve in the event of significant armed opposition.[171] Acer Aspire 1640 Laptop CPU Cooling Fan

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