An historic vote Monday in East Timor.....
Chronology of East Timor's
recent history
August 27, 1999
Web posted at: 8:16 AM EDT (1216 GMT)
JAKARTA, Indonesia (Reuters) -- The
final day of campaigning for Monday's
independence referendum began in East
Timor on Friday, a day after at least five
people were killed in violent clashes.
Following is a chronology of the main events in Timor's history since
Portugal began decolonisation in 1974.
1974
April 25 - Armed forces coup in Lisbon leads to a new government which
begins a policy of decolonisation.
1975
August 27 - Portuguese governor and administration withdraw from East
Timor capital Dili to offshore island of Atauro.
November 28 - After a brief civil war, left-wing Fretilin party declares East
Timor independent.
November 29 - Indonesian Foreign Minister Adam Malik signs a
declaration integrating the territory into Indonesia.
December 7 - Indonesian troops invade East Timor. An estimated 200,000
people -- a quarter of the population -- die during the military crackdown
and famine that follow.
1976
July 17 - President Suharto signs bill formally declaring East Timor
Indonesia's 27th province. United Nations does not recognise this and says
Portugal remains administering power.
1983
February - UN Commission on Human Rights adopts resolution affirming
East Timor's right to independence.
1991
November 12 - Indonesian troops fire on a procession after the Dili funeral
of an anti-Indonesia activist. An official report says 50 people died. Human
rights groups say the toll was at least 180.
1992
August - UN adopts resolution condemning Indonesian human rights
violations in Timor.
November 20 - Guerrilla leader Xanana Gusmao captured. The following
year he is convicted of subversion and sentenced to life in prison, later
commuted to 20 years.
1996
October 11 - East Timor Bishop Carlos Belo and self-exiled resistance
spokesman Jose Ramos-Horta awarded Nobel Peace prize.
December 24 - Tens of thousands greet Belo on his return from Europe.
Off-duty Indonesian soldier carrying pistol killed by crowd at Dili cathedral
amid rumours of plot to kill Belo.
1998
May 1 - Suharto is forced from power amid a crippling economic crisis,
mass protests against his 32-year rule and savage riots in Jakarta. He is
replaced by B.J. Habibie.
June 9 - Habibie tells Reuters he will consider offering "special status" and
wider autonomy to East Timor but insists the territory will remain part of
Indonesia. Portugal rejects the idea.
June 27 - Hundreds of pro-independence protesters clash with government
supporters in Dili after a youth is shot by troops trying to quell an earlier
clash outside the city.
August 8 - Indonesia says all combat troops withdrawn.
October 30 - Leaked military documents show troop numbers in East Timor
have not been cut despite the government's claims.
November 22 - A former governor of East Timor says 44 people killed in a
military crackdown. The International Committee of the Red Cross says its
investigations do not substantiate the report.
1999
January 11 - Australia says it would back independence for the territory if
East Timorese decided to reject autonomy.
January 27 - Indonesia announces its highest legislative body may discuss
independence for East Timor if the territory rejects autonomy.
February 10 - Gusmao is moved out of prison and placed under house
arrest.
February 24 - Portugal calls for a permanent U.N. presence in East Timor
to help prevent violence.
February 25 - Indonesian troops fire on pro-independence youths in East
Timor, killing three. Thousands attend their funeral.
February 27 - Gusmao calls for a U.N.-sponsored transitional government
to guide the move to independence, backed by an unarmed international
police force.
April 5 - Pro-independence sources say Indonesia loyalists and troops killed
at least 17 civilians. Gusmao orders guerrillas and East Timorese populace
to resume war against Indonesia and pro-Jakarta loyalist militias.
April 21 - East Timor's warring factions sign a peace pact aimed at ending
spiralling violence.
May 5 - Indonesia and Portugal sign landmark accords to enable the people
of East Timor to vote on their future in an independence ballot. UN
Endorses the deal May 7.
June 18 - Rival armed factions agree to surrender their weapons and
maintain peace.
June 26 - East Timorese resistance leader Jose Ramos-Horta visits
Indonesia for the first time since it invaded his homeland and forced him into
exile more than two decades ago.
July 28 - UN postpones ballot date for second time to August 30.
August 26 - At least five people are killed in street battles between
opponents of Jakarta's rule armed with rocks and iron bars and pro-Jakarta
militia armed with automatic weapons. |
