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Timor was, and still is, a divided country. West Timor was colonised by the Dutch (The Dutch East Indies) and East Timor by the Portugeuse (this occured around 16th century). During World War II Imperial Japan occupied Timor from 1942 to 1945. The Australians and Dutch forces engaged in heavy fighting against the Japanese with the East Timorese fighting alongside them. The East Timorese lost several thousand lives. After WWII the Dutch tried to re-establish their colony in Indonesia. Indonesia declared independence in 1945 and in December 1949, after a few years of guerrilla struggle, the Netherlands formally recognised Indonesian sovereignty. Portugeuse Timor continued until 28th November, 1975, when, following a brief civil war, the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste was proclaimed. Within days, on the 7th December 1975, the new nation was invaded and occupied by Indonesia. East Timor was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976. A campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades. An estimated 100,000 to 250,000 East Timorese lost their lives in a population of less than a million. In 1999 the Indonesian government gave the Timorese the opportunity to vote for independence in a referendum. On August 30th 1999, the East Timorese voted at a United Nations sponsored referendum. They voted overwhelmingly for independence (78% in favour) ending 24 years of Indonesian occupation, Through the early days of September 1999 the Indonesian-backed militia (a force of anti-independence Timorese) commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed approximately 1,400 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's infrastructure was desroyed, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, and schools. Nearly 100% of the country's electrical grid was also destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) were deployed to the country and brought the violence to an end. On 20th May 2002 Timor Leste’s declaration of independence was restored and power handed over from the United Nations to the first Constitutional Government of Timor Leste. Timor Leste's popular and iconic independence leader Xanana Gusmao was made the first President. The world watched the birth of a new nation literally from amidst the ashes, conflict and destruction. Timor Leste is, at 6-years old, the world’s newest nation, and Asia's poorest. It is also a very young society with nearly 50% of its population below the age of 18. There is an urgent need to reach out to these children and ensure they have a quality life and future, built on the country’s natural resources and the emerging opportunities for the new generation. |
