East Timor has never fit comfortably within the sprawling archipelago that is Indonesia. The province was a Portuguese territory from the 17th century until 1975, when a socialist government in Lisbon abandoned the country's colonial pretensions. That triggered a struggle for control of the region. The Frente Revolucionara do Timor Leste Independente (Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor) better known as Fretilin, won that fight, and on Nov. 28, 1975 declared East Timor's independence. A week later, Indonesian soldiers invaded Dili, the capital, on the pretext of ending the violence. One year later, the government of then President Suharto unilaterally annexed the province. East Timor has been a blot on Indonesia's international image ever since.
The United Nations has never recognized the annexation, considering Portugal to be still the administrative authority in East Timor. Other nations, such as the United States and Japan, have acquiesced to Jakarta's grab for geopolitical reasons. Indonesia's position astride the sea lanes and its influence in Southeast Asia have meant that its government was to be appeased. With this support, Indonesia has been able to fend off persistent and vocal criticism of its East Timor policies.
The criticism is well-deserved. It is estimated that 200,000 East Timorese -- one-quarter of the population -- have died as a result of fighting or other government policies designed to pacify the province. The U.N. secretary general has appointed a personal representative on East Timor, a U.N. special rapporteur has reported that there are credible allegations of torture in the province and the U.N. Commission on Human Rights has adopted resolutions expressing concern over the situation. Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo and Mr. Jose Ramos-Horta, both leaders of the Timorese, were awarded the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize, for their efforts to find a political solution to the struggle for control of East Timor.