Timeline

A chronology of key events:

1600s – Portuguese invade Timor, set up trading post and use island as source of sandalwood.

1749 – Timor split following battle between Portuguese and Dutch. Portuguese take the eastern half.

1942 – Japanese invade, fighting battles with Australian troops. Up to 60,000 East Timorese are killed. Japan in control until 1945.

1974 – Anti-Fascist revolution in Portugal leads to promise to free colonies, encouraging parties to prepare for new future.

1975 August – Portuguese administration withdraws to offshore island of Atauro.

1975 October – Five foreign journalists killed along border with West Timor, allegedly by Indonesian troops.

1975 November – After brief civil war, Fretilin (Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor) declares East Timor independent.

1975 December – Indonesia invades, using its fight against communism as a pretext. It annexes territory as its 27th province, a move not recognised by the UN.

Strong resistance to Indonesian rule followed by repression and famine in which 200,000 people are thought to have died.

1981 – Xanana Gusmao becomes leader of Falintil (Armed Forces of National Liberation of East Timor), the armed wing of Fretilin.

1991 – Santa Cruz cemetery massacre in which troops fire on mourners at a funeral in Dili of Fretilin supporter, killing more than 100 people.

1992 – Setback for the resistance as Gusmao is captured near Dili. In 1993 he is convicted of subversion and given a life sentence which is later reduced.

1993 – Groups of East Timorese enter foreign embassies in Jakarta over the next few years seeking political asylum.

1995 – 20th anniversary of the Indonesian invasion marked by protest by 112 East Timorese and sympathisers who enter Russian and Dutch embassies in Jakarta.

1996 – Acting Bishop of Dili, Carlos Belo, and resistance leader Jose Ramos Horta jointly awarded Nobel Peace Prize, raising international awareness of the East Timorese independence struggle.

1998 – Indonesian President Suharto resigns. Replaced by Habibie who suggests territory may be given special status within Indonesia.

Indonesia’s grip loosens

1999 January – Indonesia says it will consider independence for East Timor if people reject autonomy.

1999 February-April – Gusmao moved from Jakarta prison to house arrest. In response to increasing violence by anti-independence activists, Gusmao orders guerrillas to resume independence struggle.

1999 May – Indonesia, Portugal sign agreement to allow East Timorese to vote on their future. Deal endorsed by UN.

1999 August 30 – Almost 99% of 450,000-strong electorate votes in UN-organised referendum.

1999 September – Result of referendum shows 78% voters favoured independence.

Violence erupts as anti-independence militia helped by the Indonesian military resume campaign of terror, leaving up to 1,000 dead. A quarter of the population flees, mainly to West Timor. Martial law imposed. Gusmao freed.

Australian-led peacekeeping force arrives, gradually restores order. Many militia members flee to West Timor to avoid arrest. Indonesian parliament recognises outcome of referendum.

1999 October – Gusmao released. UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) established.

1999 December – International donors at a Tokyo conference agree to provide US $520 million in aid to help rebuild East Timor.

2000 September – UN evacuates staff from West Timor after murder of three refugee agency workers by pro-Indonesian militia gangs. An Indonesian court jails six men for up to 20 months for the killings, earning international outrage for being too lenient.

2001 July – East Timor, Australia sign memorandum of understanding over future revenues from oil, gas fields in Timor Sea under which East Timor would get 90% of revenues.

2001 August – Election of 88-member Constituent Assembly; Fretilin party wins, taking 55 seats.

2002 - January – Truth and reconciliation commission opens to try and heal wounds of past.

2002 January – Indonesia inaugurates human rights court to hold military accountable for atrocities in East Timor after 1999 independence vote.

2002 February – East Timor assembly approves draft constitution envisaging government run along parliamentary lines.

2002 February – East Timor and Indonesia sign two agreements aimed at easing relations.

2002 April – Xanana Gusmao wins presidential elections.

2002 20 May – UN Security Council sets up UN Mission of Support in East Timor (Unmiset) to help East Timorese authorities.

source:  http://news.bbc.co.uk