Timor-Lestes Long Road to Independence

From a much neglected Portuguese colony to independence, Timor-Leste travelled a belated, long and troubled journey that included a 24-year Indonesian occupation. A classic process of European decolonization (19741975) was followed by a nationalist struggle against Third World Colonialism (19751999), and a final phase under the direct aegis of the United Nations (19992002). More than a direct relation between coloniser and colonised, this turbulent process involved the participation of many different actors scattered around the world. The Timor Issue brought to the scene a martyred peoples determination, the diplomacy of several nations (friends or foes), the involvement of the United Nations, and the activism of solidarity networks. This collection adopts a transnational approach that highlights the complexity of Timor-Lestes road to independence.