East Timor

East Timor

After centuries of Portuguese rule, Fretilin, the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor, declared East Timor independent in 1975 after a bloody but brief civil war. In December ‘75 Indonesia invaded and occupied East Timor for the next twenty four years; an occupation not recognised by most of the world, and marked by brutality and violence. In 1996, Carlos Belo, the Bishop of Dili, and Jose Ramos Horta, a key figure of the resistance to Indonesia, were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for raising international awareness of the East Timorese independence struggle.

In May 1999, under an agreement between Indonesia and Portugal, brokered by the UN, East Timor voted overwhelmingly for independence from Jakarta despite a violent campaign by Indonesian organised militia groups. As Indonesian forces withdrew, they burnt most of the country to the ground, forcibly displaced a third of the population and killed over a thousand people before a late UN intervention force arrived. The UN effectively governed the country for two years before full independence was proclaimed on 20th May 2002.

Former resistance leader, Xanana Gusmao, who had always sought to unite East Timorese of all parties, became President of East Timor, and Mari Alkatiri , now the head of the Fretlin party, became Prime Minister. East Timor became the world’s youngest nation. With an impoverished economy, declining interest in agriculture and massive unemployment, East Timor has struggled to meet the basic needs of its population, although much progress has been made and increasing oil revenues from the Timor Sea give further reason for optimism for the future.

The current conflict began in early 2006 when around one third of the armed forces (F-FDTL) went on strike complaining of discrimination against soldiers from ‘the west’ of the country within the army. The Government responded by sacking these 594 soldiers, against he wishes of the President - and Commander in Chief - Xanana Gusmao.

In late April between 1,000 and 2,000 demonstrators hit the streets in support of the ‘594’ Group. On the 28th a group of non ‘594’ protesters became violent, throwing stones and at least one Molotov cocktail at the Government offices triggering rioting, fighting and arson in the outskirts of Dili. During a police operation to end the situation, one policeman was killed and two were injured. Later that day further violence occurred when the remaining F-FDTL troops were ordered to track down the ex F-FDTL protestors, resulting in several more killings.

Over the following weeks, there was a further breakdown of law and order when the army attacked the police headquarters, killing nine people, before both police and army were ordered to withdraw with the arrival of the Australian peace-keeping forces. Despite this military presence, gangs of youths, some of whom claim allegiances to ‘the west’ or ‘the east’, continue to loot, burn houses and government buildings and take out personal vendettas and revenge attacks. In June, amid allegations that Fretilin had armed civilian groups for political purposes, the Prime Minister resigned, and was replaced by Jose Ramos Horta. Elections are due in 2007.

Current reports estimate that some 70,000 people have fled the capital for the safer districts. The same number again continue to take shelter at night in churches, schools and other compounds, including that of the United Nations. Some 1,500 homes in Dili have been destroyed. The major international aid agencies are working with the government to manage the crisis of internally displaced people.

The full facts of this ‘situation’ are still unknown, and unsubstantiated rumours of coups or attempted coups are circulating. It is unclear whether the blame lies with internal leadership factions, external agents or the general failure of the international community to adequately support the transition to independence.