East Timor | |||||||||
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1999–2002 | |||||||||
Status | United Nations protectorate | ||||||||
Capital | Dili | ||||||||
Common languages | Tetum Portuguese Indonesian English | ||||||||
Transitional Administrator | |||||||||
• 1999–2002 | Sérgio Vieira de Mello | ||||||||
Chief Minister | |||||||||
• 2001–2002 | Mari Alkatiri | ||||||||
History | |||||||||
25 October 1999 | |||||||||
20 May 2002 | |||||||||
Area | |||||||||
• Total | 15,007 km2 (5,794 sq mi) | ||||||||
Population | |||||||||
• | 947,000 | ||||||||
Currency | United States dollar | ||||||||
ISO 3166 code | TL | ||||||||
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United Nations Administered East Timor refers to the period between 25 October 1999 and 20 May 2002 when East Timor was administered by the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor as a United Nations protectorate.
East Timor was colonised by Portugal in the mid-16th century and administered as Portuguese Timor. Following the Carnation Revolution in Portugal, East Timor unilaterally declared independence as the Democratic Republic of East Timor on 28 November 1975, but was invaded by Indonesia 7 December 1975. East Timor was occupied by Indonesia and administered as Timor Timur province. The invasion was not recognized as legal by the United Nations, which continued to regard Portugal as the legal Administering Power of East Timor. In 1999, in a UN-sponsored referendum, an overwhelming majority of East Timorese voted for independence from Indonesia. Immediately following the referendum, Pro-Indonesia militias commenced a scorched earth campaign triggering the 1999 East Timorese crisis. An International Force for East Timor was deployed to the territory to bring the violence to an end. Indonesia formally rescinded its annexation on 19 October 1999 and a United Nations transitional administration was subsequently established on 25 October 1999 by Security Council Resolution 1272 to administer the territory until independence on 22 May 2002.
A fifteen member National Consultative Council was established in December 1999 by UNTAET REG 1999/2, [1] and served as a forum for East Timorese political and community leaders to advise the Transitional Administrator and discuss policy issues. The Council had eleven Timorese members and four international members. A Transitional Judicial Service Commission was also established to ensure representation of East Timorese leaders in decisions affecting the judiciary in East Timor. The Commission was made up of three Timorese representatives and two international experts. [2]
History of Timor-Leste |
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Chronology |
Topics |
Asiaportal |
In July 2000 the membership of the National Consultative Council was expanded to 36 members including, one representative from each of the 13 districts of East Timor, and the body was renamed the National Council. [3] All the members were now Timorese and represented the main political parties and religious communities of East Timor. The National Council became a legislature style body and had the right to debate any future regulations issued by UNTAET.
On 15 July 2000, an executive body Transitional Cabinet was formed comprising four Timorese members and four international members. [4] [5]
Progress was made in the development of a judicial system with a Prosecutor General's Office and a Defender Service established. District Courts and Court of Appeal were also established.
A voter registration process was completed during this period and preparations were made for elections to a Constituent Assembly that would prepare East Timor for independence expected in 2002.
Elections for an 88-member Constituent Assembly [6] were held on 30 August 2001, the second anniversary of the autonomy referendum, which resulted in a majority of seats for the Fretilin party. The Assembly nominated a transitional Council of Ministers [7] the following month. The Council of Ministers had 24 members and was led by transitional Chief Minister Mari Alkatiri.
The Constituent Assembly completed work on a draft constitution and this was promulgated in March 2002, [8] the Assembly would serve as the parliament of East Timor following independence.
Presidential elections were held in April in which Xanana Gusmão was elected president of a future independent East Timor.
East Timor became an independent state on 20 May 2002.
Sérgio Vieira de Mello served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for East Timor (Transitional Administrator) during the period East Timor was administered by the United Nations.
No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Election | Term of office | Political party | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
- | Ian Martin | n/a | 25 October 1999 | 19 November 1999 | 25 days | n/a | |
1 | Sérgio Vieira de Mello (1948–2003) | n/a | 19 November 1999 | 20 May 2002 | 2 years, 182 days | n/a |
Mari Alkatiri served as Chief Minister of East Timor between September 2001 and May 2002.
No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Election | Term of office | Political party | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
1 | Mari Alkatiri (born 1949) | 2001 | 20 September 2001 | 20 May 2002 | 212 days | Fretilin |
The following elections were held during United Nations administration:
During the period of United Nations administration, East Timor was divided into thirteen districts: [9]
Each district was headed by an UNTAET appointed District Administrator supported by District Advisory Councils with representation from political parties, the Catholic Church, women and youth groups. [10]
Security was initially provided by the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) but was assumed by UNTAET Peace-Keeping Force (PKF) in February 2000. The formation of an East Timor Defence Force was approved in September 2000 which was formally established in February 2001. [11] At the same time, the pro-independence guerrilla movement FALINTIL was officially disbanded, with many of its members joining the new defence force.
Initially law and order in East Timor was maintained by an international United Nations Civilian Police Force (CIVPOL). Recruitment and training for a local police force commenced by UNTAET in April 2000 [10] and an East Timor Police Service was established in August 2001. [12] Prisons were established at Dili, Becora and Gleno. A Serious Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Detachment also existed to investigate human rights abuses during the period of Indonesian occupation and its immediate aftermath.
The following countries opened Liaison offices in East Timor during the period of United Nations administration: [13]
Four East Timorese athletes participated in the 2000 Summer Olympics and two athletes participated in the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney. [14]
The UN-led interim administration maintained a local FM radio station, "Radio UNTAET", a TV station, "TV UNTAET" and published a fortnightly newsletter known as "Tais Timor" in English, Portuguese, Tetum and Indonesian. [15]
The United Nations transitional administration established an East Timor Postal Service in April 2000 with post offices opening in Dili, Baucau and at Comoro Airport. Two postage stamps with the inscription Timor Lorosae / UNTAET were first issued on 29 April 2000, in red for domestic mail and blue for international mail. [16] [17] [13]
Portuguese Timor used the international dialing code +672 until 1975. [18] During Indonesian occupation, the Indonesian country code +62 was used. The code +672 was subsequently reassigned to the Australian External Territories. Initially after the end of Indonesian occupation, the code +672 9 was used following an agreement with the Government of Australia and telecommunications provider Telstra. [19] East Timor was later assigned the code +670.
The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET),, was a United Nations mission in East Timor that aimed to solve the decades-long East Timorese crisis in the area occupied by Indonesian military. UNTAET provided an interim civil administration and a peacekeeping mission in the territory of East Timor, from its establishment on 25 October 1999, until its independence on 20 May 2002, following the outcome of the East Timor Special Autonomy Referendum. The transitional administration was established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1272 in 1999.
East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. The country comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor and the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco. The first inhabitants are thought to be descendant of Australoid and Melanesian peoples. The Portuguese began to trade with Timor by the early 16th century and colonised it throughout the mid-century. Skirmishing with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty for which Portugal ceded the western half of the island. Imperial Japan occupied East Timor during World War II, but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese surrender.
The Timor Leste Defence Force is the military of East Timor. The F-FDTL was established in February 2001 and comprises two infantry battalions, small naval and air components and several supporting units.
The International Force East Timor (INTERFET) was a multinational non-United Nations peacemaking task force, organised and led by Australia in accordance with United Nations resolutions to address the humanitarian and security crisis that took place in East Timor from 1999–2000 until the arrival of UN peacekeepers. INTERFET was commanded by an Australian military officer, Major General Peter Cosgrove.
The national emblem of Timor-Leste, also known as the Belak, is one of the national symbols of the country.
The United Nations Integrated Mission in East Timor (UNMIT) was established on 25 August 2006 by UN Security Council Resolution 1704. Its objectives are "to support the Government in consolidating stability, enhancing a culture of democratic governance, and facilitating political dialogue among Timorese stakeholders, in their efforts to bring about a process of national reconciliation and to foster social cohesion". In its most recent resolution on UNMIT, the Council extended its mandate until 26 February 2012. UNMIT and ISF troops left the country at the end of 2012.
Constituent Assembly elections were held in East Timor on 30 August 2001, the second anniversary of the independence referendum. One member was elected from each of the country's thirteen districts, whilst a further 75 were elected by proportional representation. The result was a victory for Fretilin, which won 55 of the 88 seats. Voter turnout was 93%. Following the election the Constituent Assembly nominated a transitional Council of Ministers with Mari Alkatiri as Chief Minister.
The National Police of East Timor or PNTL is the national police force of East Timor.
The Special Panels for Serious Crimes was the hybrid international–East Timorese tribunal that was created in 2000 by the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) to try cases of "serious criminal offences" which took place in East Timor in 1999. The Special Panels sat from 2000 to 2006.
An independence referendum was held in East Timor on 30 August 1999, organised by United Nations Mission in East Timor. The referendum's origins lay with the request made by the President of Indonesia, B. J. Habibie, to the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on 27 January 1999, for the United Nations to hold a referendum, whereby East Timor would be given choice of either greater autonomy within Indonesia or independence.
The 1999 East Timorese crisis began with attacks by pro-Indonesia militia groups on civilians, and expanded to general violence throughout the country, centred in the capital Dili. The violence intensified after a majority of eligible East Timorese voters voted for independence from Indonesia. Some 1,400 civilians are believed to have died. A UN-authorized force (INTERFET) consisting mainly of Australian Defence Force personnel was deployed to East Timor to establish and maintain peace.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1264, adopted unanimously on 15 September 1999, after recalling previous resolutions on East Timor (Timor-Leste), the Council authorised the establishment of the multinational International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) to restore peace and security in the territory, facilitate humanitarian assistance and protect the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET).
United Nations Security Council resolution 1272 was adopted unanimously on 25 October 1999, after recalling previous resolutions on East Timor, particularly resolutions 384 (1975), 389 (1976), 1236 (1999), 1246 (1999), 1262 (1999) and 1264 (1999). The council established the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) that was responsible for the administration of the territory until its independence in 2002.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1338, adopted unanimously on 31 January 2001, after recalling previous resolutions on East Timor (Timor-Leste), particularly resolutions 1272 (1999) and 1319 (2000), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) for a year until 31 January 2002.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1392, adopted unanimously on 31 January 2002, after recalling previous resolutions on East Timor (Timor-Leste), particularly resolutions 1272 (1999) and 1338 (2001), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) until 20 May 2002.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1410, adopted unanimously on 17 May 2002, after recalling previous resolutions on East Timor (Timor-Leste), particularly resolutions 1272 (1999), 1338 (2001) and 1392 (2002), the council established the United Nations Mission of Support to East Timor (UNMISET) to replace the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET).
East Timorese nationality law is regulated by the 2002 Constitution, the Nationality Act of the same year, the regulation of the Nationality Act Decree-Law No. 1 of 2004, as well as various international agreements to which East Timor has been a signatory. These laws determine who is, or is eligible to be, a national of East Timor. The legal means to acquire nationality and formal membership in a nation differ from the relationship of rights and obligations between a national and the nation, known as citizenship. East Timorese nationality is typically obtained either on the principle of jus soli, i.e. by birth in East Timor; or under the rules of jus sanguinis, i.e. by birth abroad to at least one parent with East Timorese nationality. It can also be granted to a permanent resident who has lived in East Timor for a given period of time through naturalization.
The II UNTAET Transitional Government was the second administration or cabinet of United Nations Administered East Timor, a United Nations protectorate that provided an interim civil administration and a peacekeeping mission in the territory of East Timor from 25 October 1999 until 20 May 2002.
The I UNTAET Transitional Government was the first administration or cabinet of United Nations Administered East Timor, a United Nations protectorate that provided an interim civil administration and a peacekeeping mission in the territory of East Timor from 25 October 1999 until 20 May 2002.
East Timor independence formally occurred on 20 May 2002.
The first session followed the historic announcement...of East Timor's Transitional Cabinet on 15 July at UNTAET Headquarters.