Luna, John Thomas E.Majirul, MurfaHum101a (C)06 March 2014

Colonialism Case Study: Timor-Leste

This case study aims to know the intertwined past of Timor-Leste or East Timor colonialism through geography and their breed culture from the colonized countries. The imposition of this case study will coincide to the significant assets and means of the country that allure colonists attention. Unlike other countries which their motive of colonization focus much on their resources, the country to be discussed reveals a different storyline in accustomed to the colonists political and military purposes, tactics and land imperialism. Timor-Leste faces a puzzled fact in achieving their sovereignty. They gained their independence from the settlers of Portugal on November 1975 under 445 years of colonization, then consequently after 10 days Indonesia invaded and claimed the nation as one of their provinces. Though the country had a rough beginning in attaining building autonomy, Timor-Lestes filed resolution and was able to regain and win their land. This study also covers the countrys culture, economy, demographics and currency. Furthermore, there are still proven evidence, chief effects of the colonization of Portugal and Indonesia in the country, are to be expound later. East Timor is located in the eastern part of Timor, an island in the Indonesian archipelago that lies between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. East Timor includes the enclave of Oecussi, which is located within West Timor (Indonesia). Dili is Timor-Lestes capital city and largest city. Located on the islands northern coast, Dili was settled as a port city by Portuguese traders in 1520. Dili became the capital of Portuguese Timor in 1864, and has remained the capital of Timor-Leste. After Indonesia, East Timor's closest neighbour is Australia, 400 miles to the south. It is semiarid and mountainous. The motive of colonizers as to why they inhabit Timor-Leste is because they predominantly used the area to send those political prisoners, problems in their government, and even ordinary criminals of Lisbon. They sent them in exile who the government thinks unworthy and obstruction in their authority. Another motive of Portugal is that they used East Timor as their trading post and based operation of European countries because of the low priced goods they could have and bought in the country. Clearly, Portugal exploited the country by taking advantage of their property, merchandise, possessions and even their wealth. They exploited the country by their abominable purposes of bring criminals in their colonized territory. East Timor manifests a first wave of colonialism because they were first colonized by the Portuguese in 1520. The Dutch, who claimed many of the surrounding islands, took control of the western portion of the island in 1613. Portugal and Netherlands fought over the island until an 1860 treaty divided Timor, granting Portugal the eastern half of the island as well as the western enclave of Oecussi (the first Portuguese settlement on the island). Australia and Japan fought each other on the island during World War II; nearly 50,000 to 70,000 East Timorese died during the subsequent Japanese occupation. Even though the country has already extended even up to the year of 1900 still this is cannot be considered as part of the second wave of colonialism because East Timor was tormented by the Portuguese for about 445 years. The supremacy of Europeans particularly the Portugueses is so powerful wherein they were able influenced their country on them. A group of Dominican friars institute their missionary in 1556 and at the same year wherein the first Europeans arrived. In 1702, they prevailed and claimed and officially became a Portuguese colony also known as Portuguese Timor. They focused on the mountainous areas whereas the Dutch and the original settlers specifically the Timorese neglected and deprived their arrival. The colonizer concentrated more on the large part of Dili as to where they dealt with traditional tribal chieftains to secure assurance and domination. The power of Portuguese has enough evidence to freeze a countrys sate and wealth being. In empirical knowledge, they deprive the nations investments in infrastructures, health and education despite of their convincing arrival in the territory. Basically they abused the country and extract East-Timors wealth. At first the capital was on Lifua, this was the time where Lisbon sent their first governor consequently they moved it to Dili due to attacks from the Topasses- an independent-minded Eurassion group. In the meantime, Dutch East Indies also colonize the part of the Islands which in the Portuguese Timor and the Dutch East Indies decided to make a Treaty of Lisbon in 1859. Portugal was silent during the World War II but the territory was occupied by Australian and Dutch armed forces because they were expecting the Japanese invasion. Nevertheless the Japanese occupation it resulted to a 40,000- 70,000 death of Timorese. East Timor achieved sovereignty amidst the colonization of Portugal is through the defeat from Japanese occupation during World War II ranging from 1942-1945. They declared independence from Portugal on November 28, 1975. Consequently, 10 days after the initial declaration of independence, Indonesia invades the newly independent country to be a part of their nation on July 1976. Under the Indonesia regime they controlled the region with unrest violences, injustices and anomalies in the government. The United Nations (UN) saw the needs of the people of East Timor and supported them to restore the nations state independence against from the imbalances brought by Indonesia. The people of East Timor joined together and vote for independence on August 30, 1990. On the other hand, the other half of East Timor which is the Anti-Independence exclusively the Timorese military opposes this decree. Beyond this occurrence Australian-Military were sent to succour the Timorese. Above all, East Timor was recognized as an independent state by the help of the UN and Australian Government on May 20, 2002. Nonetheless, there are still internal tension suppressing their newly government but they are stable and firm. Identify three (3) major results of this period of colonization on the colony/territory that are still evident today. Suggest reasons as to why these effects/influences have lingered on to the present.

Reference ListsDe Sousa, I.C. (2001). The Portuguese colonization and the problem of East Timorese nationalism. Portuguese Center for the study of Southeast Asia.Garrison, Randal (2005). The Role of Constitution-Building Process in Democratization. Retrieved from http://www.idea.int/cbp/upload/CBP-Timor-Leste.pdfHorta,Jose R. A brief hisroy of Timor-Leste. Retrieved from http://ramoshorta.com/about-timor-leste/Pinto, Anna da Franca. (1975). Portuguese Influence in Indonesia, Lisbon Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian.Shah, Anup (2000,Septemeber 10). What happened in East-Timor . Retrieved from http://www.globalissues.org/article/93/what-happened-in-east-timor