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The United Nations page on East Timor

East Timor Government Site

Birth of a Nation
Updated May 20, 2002

In 1778, France officially recognized a budding country that was fighting England for its independence. Other European countries soon followed the French and supported the new nation in its fight.

After a bitter struggle, the revolutionaries emerged victorious and became the first citizens of the United States of America.

You may have thought the days of new countries
being born were history. But on May 20, it happened again when the United Nations (U.N.) and countries from all over the world officially recognized the new nation of East Timor.

A rocky road

Located in southern Asia, East Timor is a small country roughly the size of Maryland. Despite its small size, the story of East Timor's sovereignty is one of great hardship and bloodshed.

Portugal, which had ruled over East Timor for over 400 years, withdrew in 1974.

Sensing it was a good time to pounce, neighboring Indonesia invaded, beginning 25 years of protests against Indonesian control as well as fighting by separatist guerillas.

In 1999, Indonesia finally agreed to let people in East Timor vote on whether to become independent. Eighty percent of the residents voted to break away from Indonesia and become an independent nation.

But instead of a celebration after the vote, armed militia groups loyal to the Indonesian military began a terrorizing rampage, killing thousands of civilians and burning an estimated 85 percent of the buildings in the country including all the schools and nearly all the businesses.

With no end to the violence in sight, the international community called on the U.N. to get involved. International troops were sent to maintain peace and a temporary administration, the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), was assembled to oversee the creation of a new government and ensure its transition to independence.

Aid workers have been helping the country to rebuild and establish health systems, education programs and law enforcement.

Handing over the keys

Once East Timor won its independence, it needed to form its own government. With the help of the UNTAET, local leaders in East Timor have constructed a new government.

In August 2001, registered voters elected an 88-member legislative assembly. The assembly members then approved a constitution modeled on Portugal's constitution.

Xanana Gusmao, a hero from the independence movement, was elected president in a landslide victory in April 2002. The new president will not have much executive power but will have great responsibility in securing East Timor's place in the international community.

At midnight on May 19, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan officially handed over power from UNTAET to the head of the East Timor assembly, Francisco Guterres. The new government, including President-elect Gusmao, was sworn into office the next morning.

Representatives from over 80 countries attended the two-day independence celebration, including former President Bill Clinton who represented the United States.

Soon, East Timor will open foreign embassies in Indonesia, Australia, Portugal, Malaysia, Belgium and Washington, D.C.

As East Timor tackles the daunting task of nationhood, a scaled down version of the UNTAET will continue to assist the fledgling country as it strengthens its administration and builds an economy. Around 5,000 military peacekeepers and a 1,000 member U.N. police force will also stay until the new East Timor Police force is fully operational.

Learn the full story of East Timor, the world's newest country.

What do you think? How would you form the government of a new country?

--Contributed by Maureen Hoch