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East Timor and Indonesia
Author: Dafu
Proofreading: Chaoqian/Editor: Yakult
After World War II, colonial countries around the world A wave of independence movements was set off, and East Timor, a former Portuguese colony, was no exception. There was a revolution in Portugal in 1974, and the new government that came to power began to support East Timor's independence movement.
The Carnation Revolution ended more than 40 years of dictatorship
and the historical process of the Portuguese colony
(Picture: Yitu.com) ▼
Logically speaking, East Timor's independence is already a certainty by now, but with the intervention of Indonesia, East Timor's independence has been delayed for decades.
Even after World War II, Portugal still maintained a large number of colonies.
It was not until the Carnation Revolution in 1974 that its colonial empire collapsed.
Among them, East Timor is extremely far away from Portugal. ▼
Indonesia occupied East Timor
Since then the Netherlands and Portugal will Timor Island is divided into two. The west side of belongs to the Netherlands and the east side belongs to Portugal. East Timor gets its name from this. After Indonesia became independent, it took over West Timor , and has always been eyeing East Timor. At this time, the chaotic East Timor undoubtedly provided an opportunity for it.
Today’s East Timor and Indonesia
East Timor actually has an enclave in the west of Timor Island ▼
East Timor’s local political forces are mainly divided into three parts : The East Timor Democratic Alliance (hereinafter referred to as ) advocates autonomy first and then transition to independence. Democratic League for Democracy; the East Timor People's Democratic Association (hereinafter referred to as the East Timor Social Democratic Association), which is considered to have communist tendencies and is also the most radical; and the East Timor People's Democratic Association (hereinafter referred to as the East Timor People's Democratic Association), which is supported by Indonesia .
As the first political party established in Portugal after the Carnation Revolution
The Democratic League had too many internal differences and even split.
It gradually declined in the later independence and political affairs
(Picture: Janina M Pawelz / Wiki) ▼
Three factions The relationship between them is also , vertical and horizontal, . Originally, the Democratic League and the Social Democracy League joined forces to fight against the Democratic People's Political Consultative Conference. In order to break up the alliance between the two, Indonesia unilaterally put pressure on the Democratic League, and finally established an interim government jointly composed of the Democratic League and the Democratic People's Political Consultative Conference.
As soon as the provisional government was established, it attacked its former ally, the Social Democratic Union, which resulted in the outbreak of civil war. Ironically, the provisional government troops were completely routed, and the armed forces led by the Social Democratic Association (which had been renamed the East Timor Independent Revolutionary Front, hereinafter referred to as "Frentin") basically occupied the entire territory of East Timor.
’s explosive combat power is all due to the support of its peers..
(Picture: Halcyoon/Wiki) ▼
Seeing that the territory in hand is about to be lost, Indonesia finally cannot sit still. Economically speaking, Timor Sea has discovered a large amount of oil and natural gas reserves. An East Timor that is unfriendly to Indonesia will affect its development of Timor sea resources. Politically speaking, for Suharto (then President of Indonesia) who came to power on the back of the Communist Party of India, East Timor controlled by Fretilin is likely to cause instability in the domestic political situation.
The president who served in the security forces of Japanese-occupied Indonesia
was influenced by Japanese militarism in terms of political stance and governance policy
(Picture: Yitu.com) ▼
However, this time Indonesia was not in a hurry to take action, It first tries to gain the support or acquiescence of major powers (mainly the United States). Since the United States was in a period of strategic contraction at this time, it did not support Indonesia's annexation of East Timor by force, and even threatened to stop military aid.
But these resistances could not withstand Indonesia's fanning the flames and false propaganda. Indonesia first claimed that Fretilin had a good relationship with Moscow , and then directly rendered it a communist party. Fretilin happened to be promoting land reform in the areas it controlled, and its leaders often made radical statements. All this seems to verify that what Indonesia said is true.
After the United States agreed to give the green light for the invasion,
Indonesia's confidence suddenly became much stronger
(Photo: David Hume Kennerly/Wiki) ▼
In addition, the Soviet Union and North Vietnam also praised Fretilin, and the United States began to feel that if the Revolution If the Front really leads East Timor, this country may become the " Cuba " of Southeast Asia. In the context of the Cold War , the attitude of the United States gradually changed to acquiescing to Indonesia's use of force.
For Indonesia and East Timor, which have great disparity in power, the acquiescence of the United States is basically equivalent to support for Indonesia. In December 1975, Indonesia launched "Operation Lotus" and invaded East Timor, quickly occupying its entire territory.
The flag of the sovereign state became a trophy of the Indonesian army
(Picture: Wiki) ▼
In response to Indonesia's occupation of East Timor, Portugal lodged a complaint with the United Nations General Assembly , and the United Nations General Assembly also passed a resolution requiring Indonesia to withdraw its troops. However, Western countries led by the United States ignored the resolution, and Indonesia, which refused to withdraw its troops, received no substantial punishment.
In the second year, the "People's Assembly" carefully arranged by Indonesia passed a resolution to merge with Indonesia, East Timor became the 27th province of Indonesia.
The Americans have lost in the north Vietnam
And East Timor is located in the "rear area" of Southeast Asia
When I think that East Timor and even Timor Island are controlled by the red camp
fear will arise ▼
Indonesia’s repressive rule After
successfully annexed East Timor, the problem facing Indonesia is how to achieve stable rule of .
Internationally, Portugal protested to the United Nations until the 1980s. The United Nations General Assembly has also discussed the East Timor issue several times. However, with the opposition vote of the United States, Indonesia was able to escape the sanctions of the international community.
In order to disintegrate the remaining opposition forces and consolidate its own rule, Indonesia has used both hard and soft tactics in East Timor. On the surface, it vigorously develops infrastructure and opens schools to develop education, but in fact it serves its "Indonesia" policy. For example, in schools, Indonesia continues to instill Indonesian history and national values into local students. The teaching language also uses Indonesian , and prohibits the use of local languages (mainly a dialect called Teton) and Portuguese .
During the more than 200 years of Portuguese colonization, religion, education, language, etc. were imported
which strengthened the local indigenous people’s recognition of colonial governance
But the essence was still to extract more benefits
(Picture: Wiki) ▼
"The flag of the East Timorese , red White and white."
The way latecomers replaced a century-old colonial foundation was too radical
(Picture: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia) ▼
In order to win over the locals, The Indonesian authorities promoted some obedient and pro-Indonesian people to the top levels of the local government. It's just The real power is in the hands of the administrative secretary from Indonesia.
If Indonesia is somewhat concealed administratively, it can be said that it is full of ferocity When attacking East Timor, the Indonesian army used chemical weapons and solidification many times. Petrol bombs, these weapons caused a large number of casualties. During his rule, some soldiers even shot innocent people in the street.
Mass detention, torture and extrajudicial executions.
Harassment of women. Intimidation and rape
The people's sense of resentment and resistance far exceeds that of the colonial period
(Picture: etan.org) ▼
According to statistics after East Timor's independence, from 1976 to 1999, the Indonesian army caused more than 180,000 abnormal deaths, and another More than 250,000 East Timorese have fled to other countries. For East Timor, which has a total population of only more than 600,000, the brutality of the Indonesian army is evident.
Where there is oppression, there will be resistance. The remaining forces of Fretilin insist on armed resistance and are successful. The rural areas established their own base areas. The originally conflicting tribes came together under oppression. Even many students who received Indonesian education became nationalists. Indonesia's high-pressure rule actually promoted the awakening of East Timor's national consciousness.
To achieve independence from the tyranny of Indonesia
is the common expectation of most East Timorese
(Picture: Yitu.com) ▼
On the other hand, The international situation has also begun to become unfavorable to Indonesia. By the end of the 1980s, along with the dramatic changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, a wave of liberal democracy was launched all over the world. In order to show that it is a "good democratic government", the Suharto regime allowed foreign journalists to enter East Timor, and the first cracks in Indonesia's rule appeared.
Since the invasion, the outside world has known very little about the real situation in East Timor.
Protests against Indonesia have also emerged one after another.
(Picture: Wiki) ▼
Foreign journalists who entered East Timor not only interviewed the leaders of the resistance forces, but also were able to report the Indonesian army’s Atrocities were made public. For example, on November 12, 1991, the Indonesian army suppressed the East Timorese people who gathered at the Santa Cruz Cemetery. Their brutal behavior was shown to the world through the videos of foreign journalists. Although Indonesia later claimed that it was the personal behavior of officers and soldiers, it was still strongly condemned by international public opinion.
The U.S. government supports Indonesia’s atrocities in East Timor.
was filmed by American reporters and shown to the world
(Picture: Journeyman Pictures/Youtube) ▼
Due to public opinion, Western countries led by the United States have reduced some aid to Indonesia, Portugal It even took the opportunity to revive criticism of Indonesia. In 1996, Horta, leader of East Timor's overseas resistance movement, and Bishop Veron became the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize . International public opinion has reached a point where it is very unfavorable to Indonesia.
"Reenactment" of the Santa Cruz Massacre
(Picture: Mark Rhomberg/ETAN) ▼
However, at this time, Indonesia's economic development momentum was relatively good, and the Suharto regime was also very stable, and changes in international public opinion could not yet be formed. Actual pressure, East Timor's independence still needs to wait for the opportunity.
Toward Independence
In 1997, the Asian financial crisis swept through Southeast Asian countries, and the Indonesian economy was hit hard. It once fell from a middle-income country to a poor country. Suharto, who had ruled Indonesia for 30 years, was forced to resign, and Vice President Habibie succeeded as the new president.
For the newly-appointed Habibie, seeking international assistance and stabilizing the economic situation are top priorities, this gives other countries the opportunity to put pressure. EU countries put pressure on Indonesia based on the previously formed "common position", and Australia also turned to support East Timor's independence out of considerations of expanding its own influence.
"East Timor Independence Demonstration held in Australia"
Australia, the only country that recognized Indonesia's annexation of East Timor, also changed its attitude
(Picture: Chris Johnson /Wiki) ▼
The East Timor resistance organization quickly discovered this opportunity and made better use of it. In the international situation, they will use their main force for non-violent resistance to gain more favorable public opinion support. Overseas Fretilin leaders also campaigned internationally to further put pressure on Indonesia.
Facing internal and external troubles, the Habibie government decided to hold a referendum on August 8, 1999. The people of East Timor would decide whether to have autonomy within Indonesia or direct independence. But as a president who was promoted by the army, Habibie cannot control his big soldiers. The military, dissatisfied with the government's weakness, was particularly resistant to the referendum and continued to cause riots, causing the referendum to be postponed until the end of August.
The international community has provided strong support for the referendum in East Timor.
The former colonial master Portugal has repeatedly discussed with the Indonesian authorities.
(Picture: Anna Voss / Wiki) ▼
But the people of East Timor are not intimidated by the atrocities, 78.5% East Timor People resolutely chose independence. According to the previous agreement that independence can be achieved with the consent of more than half, Indonesia must allow East Timor to become independent.
After hundreds of years, there is finally a chance for independence
(Picture: Anna Voss / Wiki) ▼
The failed Indonesian military still refuses to give up, and continues to create unrest in East Timor by supporting a small group of pro-Indonesian people. "Militia" supported by the Indonesian military set up roadblocks, burned houses, and shot at people who supported independence in retaliation. The entire East Timor almost fell into anarchy, and the economy suffered huge losses. According to statistics, East Timor's GDP dropped by 25%-30% that year.
During this period, with the connivance and acquiescence of Indonesia,
, the most harmful thing to the East Timorese was the pro-Indonesian militia
(Picture: Wiki) ▼
"If people refuse autonomy, East Timor is likely to bleed."
is the Indonesian side's response to the public investment attitude
(Picture: Anna Voss / Wiki) ▼
The chaos in East Timor has attracted the attention of the international community. Portugal and Australia directly condemned Indonesia and asked for the formation of peacekeeping forces to intervene. In an effort to gain U.S. support, Portugal threatened to withdraw its peacekeeping troops from Kosovo. Australia persuaded the United States to put pressure on Indonesia from the perspective of the US-Australia alliance.
The arrival of the International Forces in East Timor stabilized the situation in East Timor.
The attitude of Western countries at this time also gave up the idea of Indonesia making a comeback.
(Picture: Wiki) ▼
After consideration, the United States finally put pressure on Indonesia by terminating economic and military assistance. . The Indonesian government had no power to fight back, and Habibie also wanted to take the opportunity to weaken the military's power, so he agreed to the United Nations' intervention. A month after the referendum, United Nations peacekeepers entered East Timor.In October of the same year, the Transitional Administration was established and immediately took over full control of East Timor, ending Indonesia's rule.
It is rare for the United Nations to directly manage a regional territory
The existence of the Transitional Administration is indeed the basis for East Timor's independence and stability
(Picture: Wiki) ▼
However, the United Nations trusteeship is still not independent, and officials sent by the United Nations do not understand local customs and habits. Some inappropriate behaviors of have even caused dissatisfaction among local people. In response to the East Timor people's demand for early independence, the United Nations decided to hold general elections in 2001 to form a new government.
On May 20, 2002, after 400 years of colonial and military rule, the people of East Timor finally ushered in a new era of national independence.
Gusmao, leader of the East Timor independence movement, was successfully elected as the first president
(Picture: Anna Voss / Wiki) ▼
Throughout the entire process of East Timor's independence, it can be found that the attitude of the major powers played a decisive role. Initially, Indonesia was able to occupy East Timor because of the acquiescence of the United States. However, with the changes in the international situation, coupled with the exposure of Indonesian atrocities by the media and NGO , the attitude of Western countries led by the United States towards this incident has changed, which ultimately led to the independence of East Timor.
Big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimps
(Picture: Anna Voss / Wiki) ▼
Reference:
. The small role that was shaped——Timor-Leste’s process of becoming a nation state 6
. Changes in the Indonesian government during the Habibie period Analysis of East Timor Policy Policy Wang Wenqi
. Since 1976 L34. Carter's transformation of Indonesia's policy -
,
HT Response (1974-1976) Ma Yinfeng*The content of this article is provided by the author and does not represent the position of the Earth Knowledge Bureau
Cover: Anna Voss / Wiki
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