East Timor

East Timor's road to independence - achieved on 20 May 2002 - was long and traumatic.

The people of the first new nation of the century suffered some of the worst atrocities of modern times.

A quarter of the population is thought to have died during Indonesia's 25-year occupation which ended in 1999.

Indonesia invaded shortly after Portugal withdrew in 1975 and forcefully tried to subdue a resentful people and guerrillas fighting for independence.

World powers were accused of contributing to the subsequent calamity by turning a blind eye or by actively supporting the occupation by supplying weapons.

Indonesia finally agreed in 1999 to let the East Timorese choose between independence and local autonomy. Militia loyal to Indonesia, apparently assisted by the military, tried in vain to use terror to discourage a vote for independence.

When the referendum showed overwhelming support for independence, the loyalists went on the rampage, murdering hundreds and reducing towns to ruins. An international peacekeeping force halted the mayhem and paved the way for a United Nations mission which helped East Timor back onto its feet.

The rebuilding of East Timor has been one of the UN's biggest success stories. The peacekeeping UN Mission of Support in East Timor (Unmiset) wound up in May 2005.

East Timor, or Timor Lorosae, can be expected to be reliant on outside help for many years since its poor infrastructure has been destroyed and it is drought-prone.

There is potential for revenues from vast offshore oil and gas fields in the Timor Sea, although the maritime border in the area is disputed by East Timor and Australia.

East Timor also faces the challenge of bringing about reconciliation. Indonesia and East Timor set up bodies to bring the perpetrators to justice. However a 2005 UN report concluded that the systems had failed to deliver. The Indonesian special court acquitted most of the 18 suspects indicted over the violence.

- BBC NEWS