Background:
The Portuguese colony of Timor declared itself independent from
Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by
Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated into
Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East Timor. A campaign of
pacification followed over the next two decades, during which an
estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives. On 30
August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, the people of
East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. During 1999-2001,
pro-integrationist militias - supported by Indonesia - conducted
indiscriminate violence. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was
internationally recognized as an independent state and the world's
newest democracy.