Editing History of Timor-Leste (section)

==Indonesian invasion and annexation==
{{Main article|Indonesian invasion of East Timor|Indonesian occupation of East Timor|East Timor (Indonesian province)}}
[[File:Capture of Portuguese flag.jpg|thumb|[[Indonesian army|Indonesian soldier]]s pose in November 1975 in [[Batugade]], East Timor with a captured [[Portuguese flag]].]]
The Indonesian invasion of East Timor began on 7 December 1975. [[Indonesia]]n forces launched a massive air and sea invasion, known as ''Operasi Seroja'', or 'Operation Komodo', almost entirely using US-supplied equipment even if Kissinger feared this would be revealed to the public.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Memorandum: Indonesian Use of MAP Equipment in Timor |url=http://www.gwu.edu/%7Ensarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB174/1010.pdf |date=12 December 1975 |website=GWU.edu |access-date=24 November 2006 |archive-date=22 November 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061122100935/http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB174/1010.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Moreover, according to declassified documents released by the [[National Security Archive]] (NSA) in December 2001, the United States gave its agreement to Indonesia for the invasion. In fact, when the Indonesian president Suharto asked the understanding of taking rapid drastic action in East Timor to US president [[Gerald Ford]], he replied, "We will understand and not press you on the issue. We understand the problem and the intentions you have."
The Australian government did not react to this invasion. The reason may be the existence of oil found in the waters between Indonesia and Australia. This lack of action resulted in massive protests by Australian citizens remembering the heroic actions of the Timorese during World War II.

Reasons given by Indonesia for the invasion included the potential for a communist government, the need to develop the territory, national and regional security risks. Public statements denied that the invasion was aimed at taking the territory, and noted continued support for [[self-determination]]. Nominal elections were held under Indonesian coercion, and on 17 December Indonesia declared that an East Timorese Provisional Government would be formed that included representatives from Apodeti, UDT, KOTA, and the Labour Party.<ref name="Strating2018"/>{{rp|46–48}}

Attempts by the [[United Nations Secretary General]]'s Special Representative, [[Vittorio Winspeare-Guicciardi]] to visit Fretilin-held areas from [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin, Australia]], were obstructed by the Indonesian military, which blockaded East Timor.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} On 31 May 1976, the government selected 37 individuals to form a 'People's Assembly' in Dili. This assembly unanimously endorsed integration into Indonesia, cementing an Indonesian narrative of union with Indonesia as an act of self-determination.<ref name="Strating2018"/>{{rp|47–48}} On 17 July, East Timor officially became the 27th province of the Republic of Indonesia ([[East Timor (province)|Timor Timur]]).{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} The provisional government made appeals to the UN to have this integration recognised as a legitimate act of self-determination.<ref name="Strating2018"/>{{rp|48}}

Nonetheless, the occupation of East Timor remained a public issue in many nations, Portugal in particular, and the UN never recognised either the regime installed by the Indonesians or the subsequent annexation. We can refer to the resolution approved by the United nations General Assembly on 12 December 1975, saying "having heard the statements of the representatives of Portugal, as the Administering Power, concerning developments in Portuguese Timor...deplores the military intervention of the armed forces of Indonesia in Portuguese Timor and calls upon the Government of Indonesia to withdraw without delay its armed forces from the Territory...and recommends that the Security Council take urgent action to protect the territorial integrity of Portuguese Timor and the inalienable right of its people to self-determination".{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} From 1975 to 1982, the General Assembly asserted each year the right of East Timor to self-determination. Portugal remained the recognised administering authority, and Indonesian forces were called to withdraw. [[José Ramos-Horta]] represented FRETILIN at the UN, where he campaigned for independence.<ref name="Strating2018"/>{{rp|48}}

Despite this international opposition, few actions were taken to support independence. Many states tacitly accepted Indonesian control. Australia went as far as to officially recognise the annexation, and downplay the [[Balibo Five|death of five Australian journalists]] during the invasion. Such actions were caused by attempts to remain on good terms with Indonesia, especially in the context of the [[Cold War]]. Despite an expressed aversion to the use of military force, the Indonesian invasion was not seriously opposed. Indeed, there was to implicit support. The United States held joint military drills with Indonesia prior to the invasion, and at the time of the invasion around 90% of Indonesia's arms originated from the United States. Military support continued, and even increased, after the invasion. There was also little support among other countries in [[ASEAN]] for East Timorese independence, with a similar fear of communism, as well as fear of regional instability. Malaysia provided strong support in international forums, despite previous conflicts with Indonesia, as it sought to repress its own independence movement and leave open the option of incorporating [[Brunei]]. The Philippines and Thailand also voted with Indonesia in the UN, with the Philippines also fighting separatists at the time. Singapore was less initially supportive, but later sought to have the situation accepted ''fait accompli''. Portugal, while not providing strong opposition leading up to the invasion, later led international support for self-determination.<ref name="Strating2018"/>{{rp|60–73}}

Resistance shifted to the interior, where FRETILIN continued to hold territory (knows as the ''zonas libertadas''). In 1976 administration of these areas was divided into six sectors, each with civilian and military leadership. These sectors covered the traditional regions (''concelhos'') of Portuguese rule, and were similarly divided into posts (''postos''), ''sucos'', and ''aldeias''. The ''sucos'' level was removed in 1977. Continuing Indonesian campaigning led to the slow capture of these territories, which this conquest being completed in 1978.<ref name="Leach2016"/>{{rp|76}} Indonesia adopted the existing ''suco'' system to manage its administration, while resistance to Indonesian rules was also organised on ''suco'' lines.<ref name="Scambary2021"/>{{rp|280}}

In an effort to stamp greater control over its dissident new province – whose seizure was condemned by the United Nations – Indonesia invested considerable sums in Timor-Leste leading to more rapid economic growth which averaged 6% per year over the period 1983–1997. Unlike the Portuguese, the Indonesians favoured strong, direct rule, which was never accepted by the Timorese people, who were determined to preserve their culture and national identity.
By 1976 there were 35,000 Indonesian troops in East Timor. Falintil, the military wing of Fretilin, fought a guerrilla war with marked success in the first few years but weakened considerably thereafter. The cost of the brutal takeover to the East Timorese was huge; it's estimated that at least 100,000 died in the hostilities, and ensuing disease and famine. Other reported death tolls from the 24-year occupation range from 60,000 to 200,000.<ref name="aiusa01">A lot of rape were also taking place{{Cite web |title=Seven East Timorese Still in Danger |url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=30AE6F0E6ABBA62A802569A60060395F |date=5 July 1993 |website=[[Amnesty International USA]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714151015/http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=30AE6F0E6ABBA62A802569A60060395F |archive-date=14 July 2007 |access-date=16 August 2007}}</ref> A detailed statistical report prepared for the [[Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor]] cited a lower range of 102,800 conflict-related deaths in the period 1974–1999, namely, approximately 18,600 killings and 84,200 'excess' deaths from hunger and illness.<ref>{{cite web |author=Benetech Human Rights Data Analysis Group |title=The Profile of Human Rights Violations in Timor-Leste, 1974–1999 |work=A Report to the Commission on Reception, Truth and Reconciliation of Timor-Leste |publisher=Human Rights Data Analysis Group (HRDAG) |date=9 February 2006 |url=http://www.hrdag.org/resources/timor_chapter_graphs/timor_chapter_page_02.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120529004414/http://www.hrdag.org/resources/timor_chapter_graphs/timor_chapter_page_02.shtml |archive-date=29 May 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> There were also reports of rapes, burning and sacking of buildings.
By February 1976, with troops spreading out from the capital to occupy villages to the east and south, East Timor's Indonesian-appointed deputy governor, Lopez la Cruz, admitted that 60,000 East Timorese had been killed. Troop numbers were increased and draconian controls were imposed on the population, isolating the territory from the outside world.

By 1989, Indonesia had things firmly under control and opened East Timor to tourism. Then, on 12 November 1991 Indonesian troops fired on protesters gathered at the Santa Cruz Cemetery in Dili to commemorate the killing of an independence activist. With the event captured on film and aired around the world, the embarrassed Indonesian government admitted to 19 killings, although it's estimated that over 200 died in the massacre.

While Indonesia introduced a civilian administration, the military remained in control. Aided by secret police and civilian Timorese militia to crush dissent, reports of arrest, torture, and murder were numerous.