Highlights of East Timor's history<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor (JP): Long before East Timor became a
\nPortuguese colony, the island was part of various kingdoms that
\nruled the region, the Sriwijaya and later the Majapahit kingdom.<\/p>\n
The Portuguese came to the island in 1512, following their
\nconquest of Maluku. Initially, the Portuguese came as traders as
\nTimor was rich with sandalwood, spices and other crops. Only
\nlater on did the Portuguese decide to colonize the region.<\/p>\n
The Dutch came to Timor in 1613 and soon clashed with Portugal
\nover trade in the area. In 1851, the colonial powers decided to
\ndivide the island. The west went to the Netherlands and the east
\nto Portugal.<\/p>\n
Portugal opened coffee and rubber plantations in East Timor,
\nbut the people could not enjoy the harvest because most of it was
\nexported to Portugal. In 1908, Portugal imposed high taxes on all
\nEast Timorese between 16 and 60 years old. Strict measures were
\nmeted out to those who failed to pay the tax.<\/p>\n
The people often rebelled, trying to free themselves from
\ntheir colonial shackles. Hundreds of thousands East Timorese were
\nkilled in at least 500 different revolts that took place between
\nthe 16th century and the time Portugal left the territory in
\n1975.<\/p>\n
On April 25, 1974, a political revolution called Revolucao dos
\nCravos broke out in Portugal, overthrowing the fascist
\ndictatorship of Salazar-Caetano, and sweeping an idealistic anti-
\ncolonial set of left-wingers into power. This brought changes to
\nEast Timor, which was then ruled by Governor Colonel Alves
\nAldeia. In June 1974, Lisbon gave East Timor three options: to
\ncontinue its association with Portugal, to become independent, or
\nto integrate with Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Three major political parties emerged in East Timor following
\nthe withdrawal of the law banning the establishment of political
\nparties in the region.<\/p>\n
The first was the Uniao Democratica Timorese (UDT) or the
\nTimorese Democratic Union. One of its founders, Mario
\nCarrascalao, later became a governor of East Timor.<\/p>\n
The second was the Associacao Social Democratica Timorense
\n(ASDT) or Association of Timorese Social Democrats, whose key
\nmembers included Ramos Horta. ASDT later changed its name into
\nthe Frente Revolucionaria de Timor Leste Independente (Fretilin),
\nor the Revolutionary Front for the Independence of East Timor.<\/p>\n
The third party was Associacao Popular Democratica Timorense
\n(Apodeti) or Timorese Popular Democratic Association.<\/p>\n
There were three other smaller parties. The first was the
\nAssociacao Popular Monarquica Timorense or the Popular
\nAssociation of Monarchists of Timor, which was later renamed
\nKota, Klibur Oan Timur Aswain, or the Sons of the Mountain
\nWarriors. The second was Partindo Trabalhista, the Labor Party,
\nand the third was the Associacao Democratica Integracau Timor-
\nLeste Australia or the Democratic Association for the Integration
\nof East Timor into Australia.<\/p>\n
Fretilin demanded independence for East Timor, Apodeti wanted
\nto integrate with Indonesia, while UDT wanted to continue the
\nassociation with Portugal.<\/p>\n
In November 1974, East Timor was sent a new governor, Colonel
\nLemos Pires, who was tasked with decolonizing the territory.
\nPires backed Fretilin as he believed that the mission should be
\ncarried out quickly and at low cost.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, the three main political parties in East
\nTimor fought. Things got worse and worse. There were armed
\nclashes, especially between supporters of Fretilin and UDT. With
\nPires' support, Fretilin gained power in the region.<\/p>\n
Civil war broke in August 1975 when UDT launched a coup d'etat
\nagainst Fretilin. Apodeti later joined forces with UDT. At their
\nrequest, Indonesia sent \"volunteers\" to help them in the battle
\nagainst Fretilin, which was backed by Pires.<\/p>\n
On Nov.28, 1975 Fretilin declared an independent East Timor
\nstate, but both Indonesia and Portugal rejected the unilateral
\ndeclaration.<\/p>\n
On Nov.30, 1975, the other four parties, UDT, Apodeti, Kota
\nand Trabalhista made a counter statement, in what was later
\ncalled the Balibo declaration, proclaiming East Timor to be part
\nof Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Pires tried to contact Portugal, Indonesia and Australia in a
\nlast ditch attempt to seek a peaceful settlement, but it was too
\nlate.<\/p>\n
The governor hastily abandoned East Timor, leaving a bloody
\nwar behind, according to Joao Mariano de Sousa Saldanha in The
\nPolitical Economy of East Timor Development.<\/p>\n
Bilveer Singh, the author of East Timor, Indonesia and the
\nWorld: Myths and Realities, says that on Dec. 7, 1975 Indonesia
\nsent 10,000 troops to East Timor led by Brig.Gen. L.B. Moerdani.
\nOn the same day, Portugal broke off diplomatic ties with
\nIndonesia. Portugal also called on the UN to act.<\/p>\n
On Dec.18, the four political parties opposed to Fretilin
\nformed the Provisional Government of East Timor with Arnaldo doe
\nReis Araujo, the president of Apodeti, as its leader. Fretilin,
\nhowever, resisted and the war continued for a few more months.<\/p>\n
UDT said that at least 60,000 people were killed in the civil
\nwars between August 1975 to February 1976.<\/p>\n
An open general assembly was held at the Regional People's
\nAssembly in Dili, on May 31, 1976. A petition was signed,
\nrequesting President Soeharto to accept the integration of East
\nTimor to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Representatives of the Provisional Government of East Timor
\nflew to Jakarta on June 6, 1976, to present the petition to
\nPresident Soeharto. In response, Soeharto sent the Minister of
\nHome Affairs, Gen. Amirmachmud, to East Timor for talks. The
\nminister reported back that it was the people's wish to be
\nintegrated by Indonesia.<\/p>\n
On July 16, 1976, the Indonesian House of Representatives
\npassed a bill on the integration of East Timor into the country.
\nPresident Soeharto signed it into law the following day, and East
\nTimor officially became Indonesia's 27th province. (sim)<\/p>\n
This article is based on Bilveer Singh's East Timor, Indonesia
\nand the World, Myths and Realities, published by the Singapore
\nInstitute of International Affairs, Singapore, 1995, and Joao
\nMariano de Sousa Saldanha's The Political Economy of East Timor
\nDevelopment, published by Pustaka Sinar Harapan, Jakarta, 1994.<\/p>",
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