Editing History of Timor-Leste (section)

==The independent republic==
{{Main|East Timor independence}}
[[Image:President gusmao.jpg|upright|thumb|[[Xanana Gusmão]], first president of Timor-Leste.]]

Destruction and violence not only destroyed the country's infrastructure and economy, but also drained its human capacity, leading to Ramos-Horta stating "we are starting from absolutely ground zero".<ref name="Carson2007">{{cite journal |author1=Amy Ochoa Carson |title=East Timor's Land Tenure Problems: A Consideration of Land Reform Programs in South Africa and Zimbabwe |journal=Indiana International & Comparative Law Review |date=2007 |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=395–430 |doi=10.18060/17554 |url=https://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/iiclr/pdf/vol17p395.pdf |access-date=27 December 2022 |archive-date=27 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327234251/https://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/iiclr/pdf/vol17p395.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|402}}

On 4 December 2002, after a student had been arrested the previous day, rioting students set fire to the house of the Prime Minister [[Marí Alkatiri]] and advanced on the police station. The police opened fire and one student was killed, whose body the students carried to the National Parliament building. There they fought the police, set a supermarket on fire and plundered shops. The police opened fire again and four more students were killed. Alkatiri called an inquiry and blamed foreign influence for the violence.

Following independence, all land that had been used by both the Portuguese and Indonesian administrations was declared state land.<ref name="Scambary2021"/>{{rp|283}}

The early economy was dependent on foreign funding. In 2004, three-quarters of those earning wages worked for the civil service, the UN, or NGOs. The small private sector was mostly security services.<ref name="Kammen2010"/>{{rp|261}}

Administrative borders in this period reverted again to the original Administrative post system, although much of the direct governance took place on the ''suco'' level, where administrative data was obtained and elections were held. 442 sukus and 2228 aldeias were formally designated in 2004, in preparation for the elections of ''suco'' chiefs in 2005.<ref name="Scambary2021"/>{{rp|282}}

Relations with Indonesia have been cordial. The two countries have defined most of their borders. In 2005, the [[Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor]] reported on human rights violations in period of Indonesian rule and the year before and offered the first national history of Timor-Leste driven by Timorese oral histories.<ref>Chega! The Report of the Timor-Leste Commission on Reception, Truth, and Reconciliation, English translation (Gramedia, 2015)</ref> In 2008, the [[Indonesia–Timor Leste Commission of Truth and Friendship]] confirmed most of the earlier Commission's findings.

[[Australia–Timor-Leste relations]] have been strained by disputes over the [[maritime boundary]] between the two countries. Canberra claims petroleum and natural gas fields in an area known as the '[[Timor Gap]]', which Timor-Leste regards as lying within its maritime boundaries. Articles relating to this topic include:

* [[Timor Sea Treaty]]
* [[Australia-Timor-Leste spying scandal]] 
* [[Treaty on Certain Maritime Arrangements in the Timor Sea]]

===2006 crisis===
{{Main article|2006 East Timorese crisis}}

Unrest started in the country in April 2006 following riots in Dili. A rally in support of 600 East Timorese soldiers, who were dismissed for deserting their barracks, turned into rioting where five people were killed and over 20,000 fled their homes. Fierce fighting between pro-government troops and disaffected Falintil troops broke out in May 2006.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Head |first=Jonathan |date=24 May 2006 |title=Analysis: E Timor's security woes |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5012640.stm |access-date=29 June 2006 |archive-date=2 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402143859/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5012640.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> While unclear, the motives behind the fighting appeared to be the distribution of oil funds and the poor organisation of the Timorese army and police, which included former Indonesian-trained police and former Timorese rebels. Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri called the violence a "coup" and welcomed offers of foreign military assistance from several nations.<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 May 2006 |title=Unrest linked to failed coup: Timor PM |work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |agency=AAP |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/australia-cant-find-timor-leaders/2006/05/25/1148524816847.html |access-date=29 June 2006 |archive-date=12 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070212083550/http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/australia-cant-find-timor-leaders/2006/05/25/1148524816847.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="RTE.ie">{{Cite news |date=25 May 2006 |title=Australian troops arrive in East Timor |work=RTE |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0525/76632-easttimor/ |access-date=2 May 2020 |archive-date=30 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730220513/https://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0525/76632-easttimor/ |url-status=live }}</ref> As of 25 May 2006, Australia, Portugal, New Zealand, and Malaysia sent troops to Timor, attempting to quell the violence.<ref name="RTE.ie" /><ref>{{Cite news |title=Malaysia to send troops to East Timor |url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=qw1148547965206B254 |date=25 May 2006 |website=IOL.co.za |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214124539/https://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=qw1148547965206B254 |archive-date=2009-02-14}}</ref> At least 23 deaths occurred as a result of the violence.

On 21 June 2006, President Xanana Gusmão formally requested Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri step down. A majority of Fretilin party members demanded the prime minister's resignation, accusing him of lying about distributing weapons to civilians.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2006-06-21 |title=Timor PM likely to resign tomorrow |work=Sydney Morning Herald |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/timor-pm-likely-to-resign-tomorrow/2006/06/21/1150845238271.html |access-date=29 June 2006 |archive-date=12 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070212083701/http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/timor-pm-likely-to-resign-tomorrow/2006/06/21/1150845238271.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On 26 June 2006 Prime Minister [[Mari Alkatiri]] resigned stating, "I declare I am ready to resign my position as prime minister of the government... so as to avoid the resignation of His Excellency the President of the Republic". In August, rebel leader [[Alfredo Reinado]] escaped from Becora Prison, in Dili. Tensions were later raised after armed clashes between youth gangs forced the closure of [[Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport]] in late October.<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 October 2005 |title=Deadly clashes erupt in E Timor |work=[[Al Jazeera Arabic|Al Jazeera]] |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/597D41F8-AB46-400E-9E2E-45C187D549EA.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070901034157/http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/597D41F8-AB46-400E-9E2E-45C187D549EA.htm |archive-date=2007-09-01}}</ref>

In April 2007, Gusmão declined another presidential term. In the build-up to the [[East Timorese presidential election, 2007|April 2007 presidential elections]] there were renewed outbreaks of violence in February and March 2007. [[José Ramos-Horta]] was inaugurated as [[President of Timor-Leste|president]] on 20 May 2007, following his election win in the second round.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Deutsch |first=Anthony |date=5 July 2007 |title=East Timor May Be Becoming Failed State |work=Guardian Unlimited |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6759703,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113222417/http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6759703,00.html |archive-date=13 January 2008}}</ref> Gusmão was sworn in as prime minister on 8 August 2007. President Ramos-Horta was critically injured in [[2008 East Timor coup attempt|an assassination attempt]] on 11 February 2008, in a failed coup apparently perpetrated by [[Alfredo Reinado]], a renegade soldier who died in the attack. Prime Minister Gusmão also faced gunfire separately but escaped unharmed. The Australian government immediately sent reinforcements to Timor-Leste to keep order.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7238142.stm |title=BBC News |date=11 February 2008 |access-date=28 March 2010 |archive-date=14 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914203716/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7238142.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

A 2009 law (Law No 3/2009) set out the legal responsibilities of ''suco'' administrators, assigning the formal responsibility of relaying government initiatives, and of mediating within their community. This formal power did not override traditional customary practices, with traditional leaders retaining acknowledged informal influence.<ref name="Scambary2021"/>{{rp|282}}

=== From 2010s ===

[[New Zealand]] announced in early November 2012, it would be pulling its troops out of the country, saying the country was now stable and calm.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.3news.co.nz/NZ-pulls-out-of-Timor-Leste/tabid/423/articleID/275384/Default.aspx| archive-url=https://archive.today/20130223075224/http://www.3news.co.nz/NZ-pulls-out-of-Timor-Leste/tabid/423/articleID/275384/Default.aspx| url-status=dead| archive-date=23 February 2013| work=3 News NZ| first=Brook| last=Sabin| title=NZ pulls out of Timor-Leste| date=5 November 2012}}</ref> Five New Zealand troops were killed in the 13 years the country had a military presence in Timor-Leste.

[[Francisco Guterres]] of centre-left [[Fretilin]] party was the president of Timor-Leste since May 2017 until 19 May 2022.<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-14952883|title = East Timor profile – Timeline|work = BBC News|date = 26 February 2018|access-date = 30 May 2021|archive-date = 31 May 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210531005105/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-14952883|url-status = live}}</ref> The main party of AMP coalition, [[National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction]], led by independence hero [[Xanana Gusmão]], was in power from 2007 to 2017, but leader of Fretilin [[Mari Alkatiri]] formed a coalition government after July 2017 parliamentary election. However, the new minority government soon fell, meaning second [[2018 East Timorese parliamentary election|general election]] in May 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/East-Timor-votes-in-second-general-election-in-10-months|title=East Timor votes in second general election in 10 months|access-date=30 May 2021|archive-date=2 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602212255/https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/East-Timor-votes-in-second-general-election-in-10-months|url-status=live}}</ref> In June 2018, former president and independence fighter Jose Maria de Vasconcelos known as [[Taur Matan Ruak]] of three-party coalition, Alliance of Change for Progress (AMP), became the new prime minister.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-timor-politics-idUSKBN1JI1JO|title=New East Timor PM pledges to bring unity after political deadlock|newspaper=Reuters|date=22 June 2018|access-date=30 May 2021|archive-date=2 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213114/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-timor-politics-idUSKBN1JI1JO|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Nobel prize winner, former president [[José Ramos-Horta]] won the April 2022 [[2022 East Timorese presidential election|presidential election]] runoff against the incumbent president, Francisco Guterres .<ref>{{cite news |agency=Agence France-Presse |title=Timor-Leste presidential election: José Ramos-Horta wins in landslide |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/21/timor-leste-presidential-election-jose-ramos-horta-wins-in-landslide |work=the Guardian |date=20 April 2022 |language=en |access-date=19 July 2022 |archive-date=21 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421074707/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/21/timor-leste-presidential-election-jose-ramos-horta-wins-in-landslide |url-status=live }}</ref> In May 2022, Ramos-Horta was sworn in as Timor-Leste president.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nobel winner Jose Ramos-Horta sworn in as East Timor president to succeed Francisco Guterres |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/19/nobel-winner-jose-ramos-horta-sworn-in-as-east-timor-president |work=www.aljazeera.com |language=en |access-date=19 July 2022 |archive-date=19 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719115915/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/19/nobel-winner-jose-ramos-horta-sworn-in-as-east-timor-president |url-status=live }}</ref>

===United Nations missions===
* UNAMET [[United Nations Mission in East Timor]]: June—October 1999
* UNTAET [[United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor]]: October 1999 – May 2002
* UNMISET [[United Nations Mission of Support to East Timor]]: May 2002 – May 2005
* UNOTIL [[United Nations Office in Timor Leste]]: May 2005 – August 2006
* UNMIT [[United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste]]: August 2006 – December 2012