Independence from East Timor is proclaimed in 1975
On November 28, 1975 , East Timor's first declaration of independence took place . The left-wing FRETILIN unilaterally declared the independence of Portuguese Timor under the threat of an Indonesian invasion, in the hope of international aid. Nine days later, the Indonesian attack on the East Timorese capital Dili took place .
background
The FRETILIN had prevailed in August 1975 in the civil war against the União Democrática Timorense (UDT) . Since the Portuguese governor Mário Lemos Pires had withdrawn with the administration to the Dili island of Atauro , FRETILIN took control of the colony. Calls by FRETILIN to return to Dili to continue the decolonization process that began in 1974 were ignored. Pires lacked instructions from Lisbon . Supporters of the UDT and the pro-Indonesian APODETI had fled to the Indonesian West Timor .
In the months before, Indonesia had tried to destabilize the colony and incited the UDT to attempt a coup on August 10, which led to the civil war against FRETILIN. After the defeat of the UDT, Indonesia began to operate militarily in Operation Flamboyan in Portuguese Timor and, disguised as fighters from the UDT and APODETI, to occupy the border areas. FRETILIN and its military arm, the Forças Armadas de Libertação Nacional de Timor-Leste (FALINTIL) , offered resistance. In November, several East Timorese places were already under the control of the Indonesians. The FRETILIN asked the Portuguese governor to return to Atauro for the last time on October 25th. The request went unanswered.
On November 1st and 2nd, the foreign ministers of Indonesia and Portugal met again in Rome , but nothing more than a general statement emerged. There was renewed support for orderly decolonization under Portuguese leadership and with the participation of all parties. However, FRETILIN refused to involve the UDT and, above all, Indonesia. The reality that Indonesia was already occupying parts of the colony was ignored. One saw oneself cheated by Portugal.
In addition, FRETILIN had the problem of being responsible for the administration of the colony, but not having any international legitimation for it. There was no replacement for the Banco Nacional Ultramarino (BNU), which served as the central bank , but which was necessary for foreign trade and the national economy.
Preparations
In November, a FRETILIN delegation traveled to Africa to seek support for a unilateral proclamation of independence. The delegation included the members of the Central Committee of FRETILIN (CCF) Marí Bin Amude Alkatiri and César Mau Laka . When they returned in the third week of November, they reported that 25 states had agreed to recognize their independence, including the People's Republic of China , the Soviet Union , Zambia , Mozambique , Tanzania , Guinea-Bissau , Angola , Cape Verde , São Tomé and Príncipe , North Korea , North Vietnam , South Vietnam , Cambodia , Romania , the Netherlands , the German Democratic Republic , Sweden , Algeria , Cuba , Norway and Brazil . Shortly afterwards, the CCF decided to take the step towards a declaration of independence. It was initially planned for December 1, the day on which Portugal celebrated its independence from Spanish rule (1580–1640).
On November 24th, FRETILIN launched an appeal to the UN Security Council to force the withdrawal of the Indonesian troops. She called for UN peacekeeping troops to be deployed. There was no response from the United Nations , which is why East Timor felt completely isolated.
In Atabae , FALINTIL fighters under the command of Aquiles Freitas Soares held the position until November 26th. Here the Indonesian army was already using naval and air force units to attack the besieged. On November 26th the FALINTIL Atabae gave up and on the morning of November 28th the Indonesians marched in. For FRETILIN this was the final signal to proclaim independence, since as an independent state they hoped for more support from the United Nations. As the de facto ruler under nominal Portuguese sovereignty, Indonesia did not want to offer a power vacuum into which it could advance. Instead of December 1st, the decision was made to proclaim independence on the same day. Alkatiri later stated that it was feared that otherwise they would no longer be able to do this in the capital itself. The text of the proclamation was hastily drawn up and the new national flag, designed by Natalino Leitão the night before, was sewn. Due to the shortage of time, not all of the party leaders were able to attend the ceremony.
Declaration of Independence Day
On the afternoon of November 28th, about 2,000 people gathered in front of the government palace in Dili. Troops of the FALINTIL marched by in camouflage uniforms and scarves in the colors of their units. Francisco Xavier do Amaral , the President of FRETILIN, drove up in the Portuguese governor's black Mercedes-Benz . At 5:55 p.m., the flag of Portugal was lowered by the FALINTIL commander Jaime Camacho Amaral and Rosa Bonaparte unrolled the new flag of East Timor , which was then set. This was followed by a minute's silence for "everyone who has died in anti-colonial wars across East Timor in recent months". A cannon was fired twenty times to honor the dead, then Amaral read the proclamation of independence in Portuguese:
"Encarnando a aspiração suprema do Povo de Timor-Leste e para salvaguarda dos seus mais legítimos direitos einterest como Nação Soberana, o Comité Central da Frente Revolucionária de Timor-Leste Independente - FRETILIN - decreta e eu proclamo, a unilateral -Leste que passa a ser, a partir das 00H00 de hojo, a República Democrática de Timor-Leste, anti-colonialista e anti-imperialista. Viva a República Democrática de Timor-Leste! Viva o Povo de Timor-Leste Livre e Independente! Viva a FRETILIN! "
“In accordance with the greatest desire of the people of East Timor and for the protection of legitimate national sovereignty, the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Front for the Independence of East Timor - FRETILIN - decided to unilaterally proclaim the independence of East Timor. For midnight today we declare the birth of the anti-colonial and anti-imperialist nation of the Democratic Republic of East Timor. Long live the Democratic Republic of East Timor! Long live free and independent East Timor! Long live the FRETILIN! "
consequences
After the proclamation, Pátria , the new national anthem, was played. From the communication center Marconi the message of the independence of the Democratic Republic of East Timor ( Portuguese República Democrática de Timor-Leste , tetum Repúblika Demokrátika Timor Lorosa'e ) RDTL was sent to the world. Immediately afterwards, the international community of states was called upon for help against the invasion. Independence was recognized by a total of twelve states, in addition to former Portuguese colonies such as Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique or São Tomé and Príncipe, as well as by the People's Republic of China (as the only permanent member of the World Security Council), Cuba, and North and South Vietnam . Portugal, Indonesia, Australia, the United States and the United Nations, however, refused to recognize it.
Francisco Xavier do Amaral was appointed the first President of East Timor by the CCF on November 29th . Defense Minister- designate Rogério Lobato read the East Timorese Constitution . The 55 articles had been written just a few days earlier. On December 1, the government cabinet was sworn in in the Palácio de Lahane and Nicolau dos Reis Lobato was appointed Prime Minister by the CCF .
Indonesia responded by reporting that the leaders of the other four East Timorese parties, UDT, APODETI, KOTA and Labor Party, had signed the so-called Balibo Declaration on November 30, 1975 . It also declared independence from Portugal and the country's annexation to Indonesia. The declaration, a draft of the Indonesian secret service, was signed in Bali and not in Balibo, probably under pressure from the Indonesian government. The signatories were more or less prisoners of Indonesia. FRETILIN member Xanana Gusmão called the paper the “Balibohong Declaration”, a play on words with the Indonesian word for “lie”. Portugal did not recognize this declaration either.
On December 7, 1975, Indonesian troops landed in Dili and now openly began to occupy the country . The war lasted until 1999, when East Timor came under UN administration . On May 20, 2002, East Timor was given independence . November 28th is a national holiday as proclamation day.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Part 3: The History of the Conflict" (PDF; 1.4 MB) from the "Chega!" Report of the CAVR (English)
- ↑ a b Frédéric B. Durand: Three centuries of violence and struggle in East Timor (1726-2008)
- ↑ "Chapter 7.2 Unlawful Killings and Enforced Disappearances" (PDF; 2.5 MB) from the "Chega!" Report of the CAVR (English)
- ↑ Jolliffe, Jill. East Timor: Nationalism and Colonialism . Queensland: University of Queensland Press, 1978. OCLC 4833990
- ↑ CHAPTER 1: AIMS, STRUCTURE AND METHODS , p. 150 , accessed on May 12, 2020.
- ^ East Timor Government: History
- ↑ Law 10/2005 of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste of August 10, 2005 ( memento of July 2, 2007 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on December 7, 2015.