[5] As another response, Indonesian diplomats stressed and repeatedly declared to the United Nations in 1963 that their country had no interest in territories outside the former Dutch East Indies.

Doubts remained about the statement, however, due to the prevalent anti western-colonial polemics and rhetoric taken by the government of Indonesia and the public under President Sukarno's Old order (orde lama).

When it became apparent that the leftist Fretilin would probably take over the leadership of the country in elections, the conservative Timorese Democratic Union (UDT) attempted a coup d'état in August 1975.

[8][1] On 7 December 1975, the open invasion of East Timor began with the approval of US president Gerald R. Ford and US secretary of state Henry A.

A 24-year guerrilla war ensued, during which fighting, reprisals by the occupying forces, hunger and disease killed about 183,000 out of a total East Timorese population of 800,000.

For 20 years, the poet and semi-professional football goalkeeper Xanana Gusmão led a low-level insurrection against the occupation, and diplomatic pressure was also placed on Indonesia.

[13] RENETIL served as a platform for East Timorese students to exchange ideas, discuss strategies, and coordinate actions against the Indonesian government's policies.

One of the most significant incidents was the Santa Cruz massacre in 1991, where Indonesian security forces brutally suppressed a peaceful demonstration in Dili, East Timor's capital.

RENETIL, now isolated, attempted to "Indonize" the East Timor conflict by promoting the issue and establishing contact with Indonesian opposition groups fighting against the Suharto regime.

[13] RENETIL also created the Indonesian People's Solidarity with the Maubere People (SPRIM) and also began to infiltrate the East Timor Association of University and High School Students [de] (Indonesian: Ikatan Mahasiswa dan Pelajar Timor Timur (IMPETTU or IMPETU)), the state sponsored Indonesian-East Timorese student organization.

[15] By 1996, IMPETTU was formerly led by future East Timorese Deputy Prime Minister and former RENETIL member, Mariano Sabino Lopes.

[16] With connections from East Timor, copies of the Santa Cruz massacre footage were distributed and circulated within Indonesia, granting more Indonesian citizens access to uncensored depictions of their government's actions.

With the help of Indonesian activists, some twenty-nine East Timorese students climbed over the wall of the American embassy in Jakarta on November 12, as the APEC meeting began, and proceeded to occupy the grounds for the next twelve days.

[21] Another was in 4 April 1998, where Thousands of students demanded that the president's 32-year rule end and that economic and political reforms be implemented during the anti-Suharto demonstrations at the University of Gajah Mada in Yogyakarta, Indonesia's oldest campus and Suharto's hometown.

[22] During the months of July and August 1998, student activists focused on organizing more free-speech forums so that East Timorese could discuss what kind of independence they desired and how to achieve it.

The newly formed Student Solidarity Council (In indonesian: Dewan Solidaritas Mahasiswa) avoided affiliation with any political party and welcomed all perspectives both originating from Indonesia and East Timor.

During his short 1 year presidency, he lifted restrictions on political parties and labour unions; ended censorship; freed Xanana Gusmão, the East Timor independence leader, from prison; signed a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund to stabilise the economy; and promised democratic elections.

[32] After 78% of East Timorese chose independence in the referendum, Habibie was attacked across the Indonesian political spectrum for betraying national interests.

[24][35] After 512 days since office, Habibie was replaced by Abdurrahman Wahid, one of the first few figures within the New Order government to support the idea of a referendum for East Timor.

Regarded as a key figure in Timor-Leste's history, Habibie's decision to conduct the pivotal referendum in 1999 is considered instrumental in the establishment of the nation.

Though, it generated some criticism as Habibie's internal role is viewed very ambivalently,[42] but Gusmão remained firm in relation to the name.

[40][41] Prior to his passing, a viral video widely shared in Indonesia and Timor-Leste captured former President Xanana Gusmão visiting Habibie in the hospital.

At the time, large sections of the East Timorese population, human rights organisations and the Catholic Church all criticise this decision.

[54][55][56] The Reception, Truth and Reconciliation Commission of East Timor (CAVR), established by the United Nations, tried instead to document the perpetrators of the crimes between 1975 and 1999.

However, because the governments in Jakarta and Dili did not want to cooperate with the court, or did not want to strain relations between the two sides, Indonesian officials and military personnel were not brought to justice.

[57] Several thousand East Timorese, mainly collaborators and their families, fled to West Timor after the Indonesians withdrew and now live there, sometimes in very poor conditions.

According to a secret military document, Indonesian soldiers were supposed to help transfer children to Indonesia to spread Islam in East Timor.

[citation needed] The deportation was never official state policy, but within a year of the invasion, President Suharto had taken 23 East Timorese children into his residence in Jakarta.

Initially disputed with Indonesia were the affiliation of the small uninhabited island of Batek Island (Fatu Sinai), 37 hectares between Memo (Suco Tapo/Memo) and the Indonesian Dilumil (Belu Regency) and areas around the exclave of Oe-Cusse Ambeno (Área Cruz in Passabe, Citrana triangle in Nitibe) as well as the exact modalities of a corridor from Oe-Cusse Ambeno to the main national territory.

On 23 July 2019, after a meeting between Timor-Leste's chief negotiator Xanana Gusmão and Wiranto, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs, Law and Security, it was declared that agreement had now been reached on the course of the country's border.