The Role Played by the International Force for East Timor in the East T

The Role Played by the International Force for eastbound Timor (INTERFET) in the East Timorese Efforts to Achieve IndependenceIntroductionEast Timor (also cal conduct Timor-Leste in Portuguese) is a country in Southeast Asia. It was a Portuguese colonization from the 16th century up until Portugals decolonisation in 1975. In 1976 Timor-Leste was invaded by Indonesia who sought to expand its territory. This lead to the development of long guerrilla warfare amidst the East Timorese who wanted their freedom and the Indonesian troops who suppressed the East Timorese efforts to independence. This struggle for independence lasted from 1976 until 1999. This led to the deaths of a third of the East Timorese population due to date related causes. Following the fall of Indonesian President Suharto, the UN endorsed an agreement between Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Indonesia agreed to, albeit reluctantly, hold a referendum in Timor-Leste for independence or consolidation into Indonesia. Th is referendum was held in August 1999 and it was supervised by the UN. The votes in favour of independence were in the majority. However, the referendum was followed by a violent reaction by the pro-integrationist East Timorese population, which were supported by Indonesian elements. The international community was genuinely much appalled by the violence following the referendum and there was a change in the international climate in terms of humanistic intervention following NATOs intervention in Kosovo, the UNs hardship to act in Rwanda, and also the inaction of the international community in Bosnia. The change of international climate led to decisive action for Timor-Leste. beneath the aegis of Australia, Indonesia reluctantly consented to the international pe... ...tribution to Asia-Pacific security architecture, Pacific Review St Antonys College, Oxford, 2003. 2. Taylor, hindquarters G. East Timor the price of freedom ( Zed Books) 19993. Vincent, R. J. Non-intervention an d International Order. Princeton Princeton University Press, 1974. Online sources 1. discussion section of distant Affairs and Trade country/economy fact sheet on East Timor, Canberra, (Website). www.dfat.gov.au. 2.Kofi Annan, Two concepts of sovereignty, The Economist, 18 Sept. 1999, pp81-2 at p. 82.3.Operation Astute, Timor-Leste, Department of Defence, Canberra, (Website) www.defence.gov.au. 4.Security Council Authorizes Multinational forces In East Timor http//www.un.org/News/Press/docs/1999/19990915.sc6727.doc.html. 5. linked Nations Security Council Resolution 1272 S-RES-1272(1999) in 1999 (retrieved 2008-04-12)