EAST TIMOR

The Small Asian Island of East Timor seems to have an irrefutable fate: rampage. That resource-rich but still impoverished country has been invaded by Indonesia since 1976, the following year that Portugal pulled out of its territory after almost four hundred years of colonization.

When Asia-countries economic crisis of 1999 arised and reached Indonesia its occupation in East Timor became much more difficult, at first because the fourth biggest populated country in the world had no longer support of international communities and financial international institutions as World Bank or FMI; secondly, because at that time many human rights activists groups were struggling to push Indonesia military troops out of East Timor by spreadig out worldwide reports on human rights violations there.

However, they had many concerns in 1999 about Indonesia's pulling out of East Timor and its full independence before its government was ready to keep up peace. Finally, when it took place an UN-sponsored vote in August, 30, 1999, beginning waves of violence sparked through the country.

East Timor has been divided by anti-independence militia groups - for whom Indonesia military still provides clandestine guns - on one side and the government on the other side. Many of militia troops are made by former soldiers who came from the army, including Alfredo Reinado. They claim having been sacked by the army just because they came from the western part of the island which was colonized by Dutch and already was part of Indonesian territory.

East Timorese have been watched uncountable acts of terrorism against their people taking place everywhere in the country. Rebels are hidden in the mountains and protected by local people and they have been planning many attacks into the government. Few days ago, there were two attempts of murdering the East Timor's President Jose Ramos-Horta, who underwent to an emergency surgery after the attack and still has his life at risk, and the Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao who escaped without injuries and claims that the attacks were carried out by Reinado and his followers.

More than 200,000 people have died since 1976 in East Timor. International organizations must help East Timor before nothing else is left.