East Timor independence
The 1991 Dili Massacre, which was recorded on video and was widely reported to have killed between 180 and 200 people,[3] was a turning point for the independence cause.
Publicity about the atrocity stimulated the emergence of an East Timor solidarity movement in Portugal, the Philippines, Australia, and other Western countries.
In the lead-up to and aftermath of the referendum, in which 78.5% of voters chose independence rather than special autonomy, the 1999 East Timorese crisis occurred, with lethal violence between pro-Indonesia militias and pro-independence forces.
The Indonesian government formally recognised the result of the referendum on 19 October 1999, after which UN peacekeeping troops of the UNTAET oversaw the transition period to independence until 2002, during which some deadly clashes continued to occur.
This shift in policy was initially revealed by journalists, and then formally acknowledged by the Australian Foreign minister, Alexander Downer, on 12 January 1999.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard, proposed by letter to the president of Indonesia that there should be a referendum for the people of East Timor, to do with their autonomy.
[6] Though it was noted there had been a fair amount of diplomacy between the two leaders, who generally had good relations,[7] It was said that Habibie was not happy with the letter, which prompted him to act.
On 27 January, at the urging of Habibie, the Indonesian cabinet agreed that the issue of East Timor's future should be put to a consultative process in the province.
East Timor devolved into violence following the 4 September 1999 ballot result, with the people overwhelmingly voting for independence.
This took place during the APEC summit held in Auckland, where a lot of diplomatic action amongst the attendees saw more support for protecting the East Timorese from violence.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) re-deployed frontline combat aircraft—F/A-18s and F-111s—northward to Tindal in the Northern Territory to act as a deterrent against escalation of the conflict by the Indonesian military.
Australia provided 14 ships with INTERFET between 19 September 1999 and 23 February 2000: the frigates Adelaide, Anzac, Darwin, Sydney, Newcastle, and Melbourne; the landing ship Tobruk, the landing craft Balikpapan, Brunei, Labuan, Tarakan, and Betano; the fast transport Jervis Bay; and the replenishment vessel Success.
Other force level troops included military police, an intelligence company, an electronic warfare squadron, elements of an artillery locating battery, and topographic survey personnel.
Most United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) personnel had already been evacuated from the region in the preceding months by the Royal Australian Air Force, although a small number had remained behind.
With the withdrawal of the Indonesian forces and officials, UNAMET re-established its headquarters in Dili on 28 September and on 19 October 1999, Indonesia formally recognised the result of the independence referendum.
On 28 February 2000, INTERFET handed over command of military operations to United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET).
Portugal sent the second largest contingent securing the key central areas of the country, followed by New Zealand, who took responsibility for the southern West sector with supporting troops from Ireland, Fiji, Nepal, and Singapore.
France also sent special forces who joined the ANZACs on the first day, as well as contingents from Philippines, Sweden, Brazil, Kenya, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Canada, Denmark, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
The United States supported the transition authority, however didn't supply personnel, their main involvement being to underwrite contracts for replacing infrastructure that and been destroyed by the militia's and Indonesian military.
A National Consultative Council was established in December 1999 by UNTAET REG 1999/2, and served as a forum for East Timorese political and community leaders to advise the Transitional Administrator and discuss policy issues.
In July 2000, the membership of the National Consultative Council was expanded to 36 members, including one representative from each of the 13 districts of East Timor.
This was followed by the establishment of an executive body, the Transitional Cabinet of East Timor, was formed comprising four international members.
The official reason give for this was to protect President Megawati Sukarnoputri who was attending the ceremony, although thousands of UN soldiers in East Timor had guaranteed her security.
The East Timorese interim government conditionally granted permission for the Indonesian landing ship Teluk Sampit to enter the port of Dili; however, it had 120 armed soldiers on board instead of the previously nominated 15.
Dili's Bishop, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo, on Sunday May 15 celebrated a Mass at his residence at 7 a.m. All members of the future government and the National Parliament were invited to the service.
In the three weeks leading up to Independence Day, a statue of the Virgin Mary, brought from Fátima in Portugal by Bishop Belo, travelled around the country.
Timor-Leste officially regained independence on 20 May 2002 after three years under the United Nations Interim Administration for East Timor (UNTAET).
The commemoration of the FRETILIN martyrs of the war against the Indonesian occupation was introduced with the poem Um minuto do silêncio by the national poet Francisco Borja da Costa.
At around 11:20 p.m., the East Timorese Nobel Peace Prize winner José Ramos-Horta welcomed those present and the future President of Timor-Leste Xanana Gusmão and Megawati, who were demonstratively arriving together.
