Independence Day (East Timor)

Celebrations for Independence Day 2018 in Maubisse

Troop Parade for Independence Day (2014)

The Independence of East Timor or the day of the restoration of independence on May 20 is a national holiday in East Timor .

In East Timor, the day is also called "Independence Restoration Day" because they officially considered themselves an independent state after they unilaterally separated from the colonial power Portugal on November 28, 1975 (this day is now celebrated as Proclamation Day). However, nine days later, neighboring Indonesia occupied the country and annexed it. Internationally, East Timor was viewed as Portuguese territory under Indonesian administration. Neither the declaration of independence nor annexation were generally recognized. After 24 years of guerrilla warfare, the majority of the East Timorese people voted for independence in a 1999 independence referendum. After a last wave of violence by the occupying power, the country came under UN administration until it was granted independence on May 20, 2002 after three years. May 20, 1974 was the founding day of what would later become FRETILIN , the dominant party in the independence movement.

See also

• Independence from East Timor is proclaimed in 1975

Web links

Commons : East Timor's Independence Day  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ 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.