The relative new nation is situated in the eastern half of the island of timor, at the eastern end of the lesser sunda islands, north of the timor sea and australia. State formation and political community in timorleste. Under the supervision of the united nations, a national referendum to decide on either autonomy within indonesia or on independence from it was held, under u. During 2010, public debates over the country and australia, between government of timorleste, woodside, political parties and civil society, after sunrise joint venture announced their option that this project will be floating lng. These are substantial factors of political agreement which should serve as tangible evidence of timorlestes unity. Politics, history, and culture 2010, and is the current executive editor sea for the journal asian affairs. This book provides a comprehensive country overview of southeast asias newest nation, timor leste east timor. The legend and history of timor leste visit east timor. The early austronesian huntergather arrivals were later joined by asian migrants who introduced agriculture. Skirmishing with the dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty for which portugal ceded the western half of the island.
Timorleste is a representative democracy with both the president and parliament directly elected by timorese citizens. Sacred places in local cosmology are linked to associations with founding ancestors, the creator god, and may include. West timor is part of the indonesian province of east nusa tenggara. Following an invitation from the government of timor leste and the national election commission cne, the european union eu established an election observation mission eom in the democratic republic of timor leste for the duration of the election process. The history of the area is examined up until the end of the rule of. East timor or timorleste is a tiny country that takes up half of timor island and has about 800 000 people. In timorleste 41% of the population lives below the basic needs poverty line, with estimates pdf that 58% of communities live in poor housing conditions and the majority have no access to clean water and sanitation. Emerging from a period of conflict, instability and. It has almost 16 different ethnic groups and 32 dialects. This book focuses on its cultural and ethnolinguistic diversity, and its political history from the preportuguese period up to 2009. The migration of many people along the track of southeast asian monsoon from northwest to southeast, of course, led to the population of the island by a civilization that had no written records, but worked in iron and.
The dutch and the portuguese fought for supremacy over timor, and portuguese sovereignty over the islands eastern half was settled by treaties in 1860 and 1893, although the latter became effective only in 1914. East timor, island country in the eastern lesser sunda islands, at the southern extreme of the malay archipelago. The preoccupation of timor leste history is sketchy. United nations transitional administration in east timor 6. Timorlestes dangerous political union the diplomat. State formation and political community in timorleste the. The first inhabitants are thought to be descendant of australoid and melanesian peoples. Executive power is exercised by the president and the government.
Imperial japan occupied east timor during world war ii. Easttimor or timorleste, the portuguese name of the country. Archeological evidence, including ancient rock art and stone carvings, indicate people have been living in timorleste for over 4,000 years. The country comprises the eastern half of the island of timor and the nearby islands of atauro and jaco. Observations on the state of indigenous human rights in. Timorleste position is the pipeline must to come to tl. A virtual guide to timorleste, also known as east timor. Timorlestes parliament is unicameral, consisting of 65 seats with members elected to fiveyear terms. Following an invitation from the government of timorleste and the national election commission cne, the european union eu established an election observation mission eom in the democratic republic of timorleste for the duration of the election process. Major ethnic groups are divided according to the number of dialect speakers, which are mambae, tetun or fehan, makasae, fataluku, bunak, kemak and atoni. The declaration of independence led to a civil war. World directory of minorities and indigenous peoples. From the 16th century onwards, east timor was a portuguese colony known as portuguese timor. Acting west, looking east timorlestes growing engagement.
East timor or timor leste is a tiny country that takes up half of timor island and has about 800 000 people. Cultural motifs, both old and modern, are incorporated into the design of tais handwoven textiles, basket work and wood carving. On november 28, 1975, fretilin together with the prime minister xavier do amaral, unilaterally declared the independence of timorleste. Upon indonesian independence in 1945, western timor was integrated into its territory. Since 1950 west timor has been a part of the republic of indonesia. Colonial history makes copious mention of animism in east timor and a variety of practices were attributed to this belief system, such as those beliefs surrounding the concept of lulik sacred places, objects, and persons. View timor leste culture research papers on academia. This is a great book that gives a concise overview of the geography, culture, and politics of the youngest nationstate in southeast asia, timor leste, from precolonial times to the arrival of the portuguese, the indonesian occupation, to the referendum in 1999 that resulted in indonesias exit and the countrys independence in 2002, as well as current sociopolitical issues. Nicolau lobato, who later became the first leader of the armed resistance, was appointed as the prime minister of the new independent country. Occupying 5,743 square miles on the eastern half of an island in the timor sea between indonesia and australia, timorleste has a population of approximately 925,000 people.
Timorleste is an island positioned between southeast asia and oceania. Cultural groups still perform traditional dances and songs and also are entertaining in new ways. Consequently, the failure to incorporate the timorese participation from the outset put untaet on a difficult course visavis the local population suhrke 2001, 2 and ended up marginalizing a whole set of timorese political experience, history, culture and needs richmond 2011, 87. Timorleste east timor has a rich history and culture developed over centuries. After indonesia, east timor s closest neighbor is australia, 400 mi to the south. The difficulties of development in timorleste devpolicy.
United nations peacekeeping operations in timor leste leaders and people should know that the united nations would be ready to offer its good offices, as well as the support of a new and sustained mission in timor leste, alongside the united nations country team, as a candid and selfcritical friend and partner in helping them to do so. The country is bordered by indonesia in west and the savu sea in north. It occupies the eastern half of the island of timor, the small nearby islands of atauro and jaco, and the enclave of ambeno. The united states recognized timor leste, then known as east timor, on may 20, 2002, when it achieved formal independence. Observations on the state of indigenous human rights in timor. East timor is located in the eastern part of timor, an island in the indonesian archipelago that lies between the south china sea and the indian ocean. Before this time, the region had been a portuguese colony up until 1975 and was under indonesian sovereignty from 1976 to.
The first comprehensive political and cultural history of east timor to date, this book fills a gap and will be an important single reference resource for students and researchers in. Liquica is one of the districts of east timor, situated on the northern coast of east island. The portuguese began to trade with timor by the early 16th century and colonised it throughout the midcentury. The first comprehensive political and cultural history of east timor to date, this book fills a gap and will be an important single reference resource for students and researchers in the field of. East timor includes the enclave of oecussi, which is located within west timor indonesia. Environment situation in timorleste united nations.
Timorleste became independent on may 20, 2002, and is now a democratically governed, independent nation with an elected president and parliament. A short history timorleste comprises the eastern side of timor island and the enclave of oecusse in the islands western region. During the second world war west timor was occupied by the japanese and after the war it became a part of the dutch puppet state of negara indonesia timur. In timor leste, asias smallest and newest nation, with a history of political instability, the decision was monumental.
Flavio simoes is a locallybased politicalsecurity observer and a. Jul 12, 2017 these are substantial factors of political agreement which should serve as tangible evidence of timorlestes unity. The maritime boundary treaty is an historic agreement for australia and timor leste. During the second world war, the allies australians and dutch, aware of the strategic position of timor, established positions in the territory and got involved in bitter fighting with the japanese forces.
Home to nine ethnic groups, the country is both multiethnic and multilingual, with more than twenty indigenous languages and dialects in active use. East timor history and culture save prior to the colonization of east timor by the portuguese and dutch in the second half of the 18th century, the island was a trading hub for chinese and indians dealing slaves, wax, honey, and sandalwood. East timor province, including the ambeno enclave, thereafter remained in portuguese possession until 1975, when one of the major political parties there, fretilin frente revolucionaria do timorleste independente revolutionary front for an independent east timor, gained control of much of the territory and in november declared its. East timor is a country in southeast asia, officially known as democratic republic of timor leste. Flavio simoes is a locallybased politicalsecurity observer and a chevening.
Despite the obstacles, timorlestes multiscalar multilingual literacy policy is an important case that reinforces the significance of mother tongue education as a response to global complexity. Timor leste is located in southeast asia, in the east of the indonesian archipelago and to the northwest of australia. The rest of the island of timor, and the other islands that were later to become indonesia, were colonised by the dutch between the 17th and 19th centuries, and were known as the dutch east indies. East timor or timor leste, the portuguese name of the country. Yet across the country hundreds of brand new prefabricated houses lie vacant. The portuguese began to trade with timor by the early. Political dynamics, development, and international involvement congressional research service summary the democratic republic of timorleste gained independence on may 20, 2002, after a long history of portuguese colonialism and, more recently, indonesian rule. Thus far, the book argues, timor lestes nationbuilding efforts have been hampered by the dynamic interaction of number of national and international factors. Timor leste faces huge governance challenges as it attempts to recover from the destruction which followed the 1999 referendum and the withdrawal of many of the indonesians who had, during the more than two decades of indonesian occupation, controlled much of the economic, political. Dec 28, 2017 this chapter provides a systematic overview of the political actors, institutions, and dynamics of timorlestes political system and summarizes its history and recent developments. Cultural information timor leste centre for intercultural.
The last part, culture and language, will provide a general introduction to variety and heterogeneity of cultures and languages of east timor, with special examples from the kemak. It was colonialised by portuguese 450 years and occupied by indonesian 24 years. Dec 07, 2009 this is a great book that gives a concise overview of the geography, culture, and politics of the youngest nationstate in southeast asia, timor leste, from precolonial times to the arrival of the portuguese, the indonesian occupation, to the referendum in 1999 that resulted in indonesias exit and the countrys independence in 2002, as well as current socio political issues. It also recognises that timorlestes cultural heritage and natural environment is delicate and integral to the countrys tourism offering and endorses the protection of natural and built heritage in a manner that is sustainable from an environmental, economic and societal perspective. Japanese forces occupied timor during world war ii. Culture of timor leste timor leste culture timor leste. This timorleste national tourism policy is the first. Pdf timor lestes history in social and political context. Politics of east timor takes place in a framework of a unitary semipresidential representative democratic republic, whereby the prime minister of east timor is the head of government and the president of east timor exercises the functions of head of state. Timorleste east timor country profile nations online.
East timor is a parliamentary democracy, in which the president is head of state and the prime minister is head of government. It has been an independence country in 20th may 2002. United nations peacekeeping operations in timorleste leaders and people should know that the united nations would be ready to offer its good offices, as well as the support of a new and sustained mission in timorleste, alongside the united nations country team, as a candid and selfcritical friend and partner in helping them to do so. Culture of timor leste traditional traditional dance timor leste culture timor leste dance. Timorese culture continues to evolve in local arts and handicrafts, as well as in dance and music. History and politics of the preportuguese to first independence periods 4.
Political dynamics, development, and international involvement congressional research service 7. It comprises the eastern half of the island of timor, the nearby islands of atauro and jaco, and. The president is directly elected to this largely ceremonial post. Timorleste also saw its status upgraded from partly free in 2017 to free in freedom houses freedom in the world 2018 index, a rating reflecting political rights and civil liberties. Timorlestes long history of colonialism 1 xanana kay rala gusmao, timorlestes role and future in a rising asia pacific, lecture deliv. The agreement is a landmark for the 1982 united nations convention on the law of the sea.
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