East Timor (Indonesian province)

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East Timor
Timor Timur  (Indonesian)
Timor Lorosa'e  (Tetum)
1976–1999
Motto: Houri Otas, Houri Wain, Oan Timor Asswa'in  (Tetum)
"From the ages past, from today, we are Timorese warriors"
Anthem:  Indonesia Raya
(English: "Great Indonesia")
LocationEastTimor.svg
Location of East Timor Province
Status Province of Indonesia [1]
Capital
and largest city
Dili
Official languages Indonesian
Recognised regional languages Balinese, Fataluku, Javanese, Tetum, Sundanese, Uab Meto, other indigenous languages
Religion
Government Province within a unitary presidential constitutional republic under military occupation [1]
Governor  
 19761978 (first)
Arnaldo dos Reis Araújo [id]
 19921999 (last)
José Abílio Osório Soares
Vice Governor 
 19761982 (first)
Francisco Xavier Lopes da Cruz [id]
 19981999 (last)
Musiran Darmosuwito [id]
LegislatureEast Timor Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD Timor Timur)
Historical era New Order
17 July 1976
12 November 1991
30 August 1999
25 October 1999
Area
 Total
15,007 km2 (5,794 sq mi)
 Water (%)
negligible
Population
 1980
555.350
 1990
747.750
Currency Indonesian rupiah (Rp) (IDR)
Time zone UTC+8 (Central Indonesia Time)
Date formatdd-mm-yyyy
Driving side left [2]
Calling code+62 377 (Viqueque)
+62 378 (Pante Makasar)
+62 379 (Suai)
+62 390 (Dili)
+62 394 (Maliana)
+62 396 (Lospalos)
+62 398 (Ermera)
+62 399 (Baucau)
ISO 3166 code ID-TT
Internet TLD .tp
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Flag of East Timor (3-2).svg East Timor (19751976)
United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor Flag of the United Nations.svg
Today part of East Timor
Notes
  1. ^ East Timor was legalized by Indonesian law / de jure as the 27th province, but seen by the UN and several countries (including Portugal) as military occupation , see Indonesian occupation of East Timor.
  2. ^ From 1928–1976 using RHT along with Portugal, back to LHT since 1976.

East Timor (Indonesian : Timor Timur) was a de facto province of Indonesia, whose territory corresponded to the previous Portuguese Timor and to the presently independent country of Timor-Leste.

Contents

From 1702 to 1975, East Timor was an overseas territory of Portugal named "Portuguese Timor". In 1974, Portugal initiated a gradual decolonization process of its remaining overseas territories, including Portuguese Timor. During the process, a civil conflict between the different Timorese parties erupted. In 1975, Indonesia invaded East Timor and in 1976, it formally annexed the territory, declaring it as its 27th province and renaming it Timor Timur. The United Nations, however, did not recognise the annexation, continuing to consider Portugal as the legitimate administering power of East Timor. Following the end of Indonesian occupation in 1999, and a United Nations administered transition period, East Timor became formally independent of Portugal in 2002 and adopted the official name of Timor-Leste.

Background

Timorese women with the Indonesian national flag Timor Timur women.jpg
Timorese women with the Indonesian national flag

From 1702 to 1975, East Timor was an overseas territory of Portugal, lately being officially the Portuguese overseas province of Timor, usually referred as "Portuguese Timor". Following the "Carnation Revolution" of 1974, the new Government of Portugal initiated a gradual decolonization process of its overseas territories, including Portuguese Timor. During the process, a civil conflict between the several Timorese political parties erupted, with the left-wing Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Fretilin) prevailing and being able to control the capital Dili, obliging the Portuguese governor and his staff to move his seat to the Atauro Island.

On the 28 November 1975, Fretilin unilaterally declared the independence of the then Portuguese Timor, calling it República Democrática de Timor-Leste (Portuguese for "Democratic Republic of East Timor"). Portugal did not however recognize that independence, with the Portuguese governor continuing to be present and formally administering the province from Atauro, although having a limited de facto authority over the remaining territory of East Timor.

Nine days later, Indonesia began the invasion of the majority of the territory of East Timor. Following the invasion, the Portuguese governor and his staff left Atauro aboard two Portuguese warships. As a statement of Portuguese sovereignty, Portugal maintained those warships patrolling the waters around East Timor until May 1976.

On 17 July 1976 Indonesia formally annexed East Timor as its 27th province and changed its official name to Timor Timur, the Indonesian translation of "East Timor". The use of Portuguese language was then forbidden, as it was seen as a relic of colonisation.

The annexation was recognized by a few countries, the most relevant being the United States and Australia, but was not recognized by Portugal, the majority of other countries[ citation needed ] and the United Nations. The United Nations continued to recognise Portugal as the legitimate administering power of East Timor.

The Indonesians left in 1999 and East Timor came under the administration of the United Nations.

After the re-establishment of the independence of Timor-Leste in 2002, the East Timorese government requested that the name Timor-Leste be used in place of "East Timor". This is to avoid the Indonesian term and its reminder of the Indonesian occupation.[ citation needed ]

Governors

List of Governors of East Timor Province (Indonesian: Gubernur Provinsi Timor Timur) from 1976 to 1999:

Flag of Timor Timur.svg Governors of East Timor (Timor Lorosa'e)
No.PortraitOfficeholdersTenureNotesHead of state
(Term)
FromUntil
130 Coat of arms of Timor Timur.svg Arnaldo dos Reis Araújo [id]
Governor
3 August 197619 September 1978 President Suharto, 1993.jpg
Suharto
President of Indonesia
(27 March 1968 – 21 May 1998)
Foto Presiden Habibie 1998.jpg
B. J. Habibie
President of Indonesia
(21 May 1998 – 20 October 1999)
131 Coat of arms of Timor Timur.svg Guilherme Maria Gonçalves [id]
Governor
19 September 197818 September 1982
132 Mario Viegas Carrascalao small.jpg Mário Viegas Carrascalão
Governor
18 September 198218 September 1992
133 Gubernur Timor Timur Abilio Jose Osorio Soares.jpg José Abílio Osório Soares
Governor
18 September 199219 October 1999

See also

Coordinates: 2°11′20″N102°23′4″E / 2.18889°N 102.38444°E / 2.18889; 102.38444

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