E. Timor: World's youngest nation<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
When East Timor becomes the world's youngest nation midnight
\nSunday, its people may heave a sigh of relief as it looks back on
\nits long history of colonization and war.<\/p>\n
Colonization of the Timor island began at the start of the
\n16th century by the Portuguese. Previously, it had been under the
\ninfluence of the Javanese empires of Sriwijaya and Majapahit.<\/p>\n
In 1613 the Dutch attacked Timor to take control of the
\nsandalwood trade. Five years later they set up their first
\nsettlement in Kupang, West Timor.<\/p>\n
During the next century the Dutch gained more and more power
\nin Southeast Asia, especially against their competitor Portugal.
\nAfter the British occupied West Timor for a short period, the
\nNetherlands again took control of the island in 1816.<\/p>\n
Ever since the Portuguese and Dutch recognized each others'
\nrights and split the island as West Timor and East Timor.<\/p>\n
Both sides agreed not to give any rights on the territory to a
\nthird party. This is why Portugal could hold East Timor, which is
\nhalf the size of Belgium, for such a long time without any
\npressure from other powers.<\/p>\n
During World War II, Timor -- only 620 kilometers away from
\nAustralia -- became an important strategic position. Ten days
\nafter the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Australian and
\nDutch forces invaded Timor and before fleeing from the Japanese
\ntroops in February 1943. Japan started occupying the country in
\nFebruary 1942 and held it until the end of the Pacific War in
\n1945.<\/p>\n
Despite the armed resistance of the Timorese people, the
\nPortuguese reestablished their administration after the Japanese
\nwithdrawal. On June 11, 1951 East Timor was declared an overseas
\nprovince of Portugal.<\/p>\n
In 1975 Portugal's fascist regime collapsed resulting in armed
\nconflicts between organized forces of the Revolutionary Front for
\nan Independent East Timor (Fretilin) on one hand and the
\nDemocratic Union of Timorese (UDT) together with the Popular
\nDemocratic Association of Timorese (Apodeti) on the other. Both
\nthe UDT and Apodeti as well as some smaller splinter groups
\nwanted to become part of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Fretilin, who eventually controlled most of the territory,
\nproclaimed the \"Democratic People's Republic of East Timor\" on
\nNov. 28, 1975.<\/p>\n
The next day pro-Indonesian groups responded with a
\ndeclaration of integration with the Indonesian Republic and
\nformed a temporary government on Dec. 17, 1975. This move was
\nbacked by Indonesian troops which had intervened in the civil war
\nand occupied East Timor ten days earlier.<\/p>\n
Although the United Nations demanded the withdrawal of the
\nIndonesian Armed Forces, Indonesia declared East Timor as its
\n27th province on July 17, 1976.<\/p>\n
Portugal told the United Nations on April 1977, that it had
\nnot pursued its sovereignty over East Timor since August 1976 but
\nwould not accept it being annexed by Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The United Nations issued a number of resolutions from 1977 to
\n1979 confirming the right to self-determination and independence
\nfor the people of East Timor, thus offering the people the
\nlegitimacy to fight for these rights.<\/p>\n
But it was not until 1999 that the East Timorese secured
\npermission from then Indonesian President B.J. Habibie to choose
\neither for independence or an independent state.<\/p>\n
During the time elapse, the Indonesian government built more
\nthan 2,000 kilometer roads, 60 schools, 10 hospitals, hundreds of
\ncommunity health clinics, providing clean water access in 13
\ntowns and pushing the living standards of the East Timorese
\npeople higher than those in West Timor, according to a 1997
\ngovernment data.<\/p>\n
Habibie finally accepted and respected the referendum's result
\nin which nearly 80 percent of voters chose independence for East
\nTimor and released Fretilin leader Xanana Gusmao in September
\n1999 after he had spent seven years in jail.<\/p>\n
However pro-Indonesian militias wreaked havoc in East Timor
\nunder the eyes of the Indonesian Military in the aftermath of the
\nvote for independence from Indonesia in October 1999.<\/p>\n
The United Nations, which sent in its peacekeeping forces on
\nSept. 20, 1999, estimates more than 1,000 people were killed
\nbefore and after the vote. The UN has administered East Timor and
\nits 740,000 people ever since.<\/p>\n
Indonesia finally recognized the independence of East Timor
\nonly a short time before Abdurrahman Wahid was elected as
\npresident of Indonesia in October 1999. Nevertheless, the
\nmilitias' terror continued.<\/p>\n
After more than two years under UN administration, East Timor
\nis going to become the world's 192nd independent nation on May
\n20, 2002. It will be led by its first democratically elected
\nPresident, the former Jakarta prisoner and guerrilla fighter
\nXanana Gusmao.<\/p>\n
A smaller UN mission will assist the embryonic state towards
\nestablishing itself as a full-blown nation stewarded by an
\nelected president, legislature and council of ministers.<\/p>",
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