East Timor

I presented this situation in class awhile ago, but I didn't have the song for you. Shakira wrote a song entitled "Timor." The song links to a version set to footage from Timor.

Here are the notes from my presentation about what happened:
East Timor is a country in Asia that was occupied and controlled until 2002.
Indonesia invaded East Timor in 1975, after Portugal left, and remained until May 20, 2002.
Western powers have been accused for being partially responsible for the crisis because they ignored it and because they provided the weapons, which were used to kill 100,000 Timorese during the 25 year occupation.
In 1999, Indonesia agreed to allow the Timorese the opportunity to vote for either independence or local autonomy. When the vote showed an overwhelming support in favor of independence, the loyalists “went on a rampage, murdering hundreds and reducing towns to ruins” (BBC).
Thus, in 1999 the UN stepped in. Despite UN actions, however, conditions in Timor remain horrible. The rampant poverty and unemployment fuels the gang violence and unrest. The Timorese infrastructure is in shambles and they remain one of Asia’s poorest countries, therefore East Timor must rely on outside aid.
Both the governments of East Timor and of Indonesia have been trying to establish good relations between each other. “However, a 2005 UN report concluded that the systems had failed to deliver. The Indonesian special court acquitted most of the 18 indicted suspects” (BBC).