Introduction and Background:

The island of Timor is an island located in the Pacific Ocean just above the coast of Northern
Territory, Australia and East of the Island of Java. It is home to indigenous Austronesian
ethnic groups and cultures. However, The island was colonised in 1702 by the Portuguese,
establishing the colony of Portuguese Timor. In 1960 the Colony was given the right to
self-determination through international law as a part of the United Nations General
Assembly Resolution 1514, which promised independence for all colonies that were under
colonial rule at the time.

After the Portuguese Revolution of 1974, the Portuguese Timor colony was left abandoned,
with the Portuguese governor authorising political parties within the colony. The Left-party
Freitlin and the right-wing Party called the Timorese Democratic Union (UDT) formed a
government in 1975, paving the way for independence. Due to conflicts regarding the
internal structure of the UDT party, the UDT abandoned the coalition government with
Freitlin and attempted a coup. The coup was unsuccessful as Freitlin got the backing of the
remnants of the Portuguese military, kicking the UDT to the border of Portuguese Timor, But
not without the UDT killing some Freitlin supporters first.

On the 28th of November 1975, the Democratic Republic of East Timor was proclaimed by
Freitlin with a declaration of independence signed. Indonesia was worried about a Marxist
country bordering them, as well as fear of more revolutions causing regional instability, and
only 8 days later, on December 7th 1975, with the backing of the United States and
Australia, Indonesia invaded East Timor. Supposedly according to released documents,
Gough Whitlam, current Australian Prime Minister at the time, may have encouraged the
Indonesian government to invade East Timor, with the supplying of weapons from the United
States.

1: The Invasion itself.

Operation Seroja commenced on the 7th of December, 1975. Naval bombardment followed
by 641 Indonesian paratroopers dropping on the capital city of Dili causing a 6 hour long
battle where Indonesia would come out victorious. On Christmas Day 15,000 troops invaded
the towns of Maubara and Liquisa. The occupation of major cities was swift, but militias of
resistance would run to the rural areas where they would enact a series of guerilla
campaigns on Indonesian forces.

By the end of the month 30,000 Indonesian forces were occupying East Timor. Freitlin forces
retreated to the rural areas. As soon as a stalemate was taken advantage of, the Indonesian
military engaged in crimes against Humanity. Reports of rape of women and children were
frequently reported. The Indonesian military shot anyone they could see during the initial
invasion of Dili, and within the first 2 years of Indonesian occupation, 50,000-80,000 were
murdered according to the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Adam Malik. 500 chinese migrants
were killed in the first day alone.

2. Destruction.
During a time of stalemate, Indonesia ordered multiple missile strike capable ships from
America and Australia. With new equipment coming in from all over Western countries,
Indonesia now had even more of a capability to kill innocents.
Indonesia started a military campaign in 1981 called the Encirclement campaign. Within this
campaign was a quote on quote “final solution”. This tactic required strategic bombing of
Timorese villages and farms. This was done to starve villages that could be loyal to Freitlin.
Widespread famine was caused and thousands died of starvation within this time period.
Resettlement campaigns were done on independence resistance forces.

Throughout the occupation, Massacres against innocent civilians were widespread. Gang
rapes by the Indonesian military are documented clearly and were commonplace, as well as
torture, extrajudicial detainment and kidnapping, especially on women. Women were
forcefully sterilised and forced into marriages with soldiers.

In 1983 Indonesia engaged in peace negotiations with Freitlin. Freitlin got the UN involved
and Indonesia got so enraged that they said they weren’t gonna hold back anymore.