Timor-Leste’s Long Road to Independence: Transnational Perspectives

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 (1974–1975) was followed by a nationalist struggle against “Third World Colonialism” (1975–1999), and a final phase under the direct aegis of the United Nations (1999–2002). 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 people’s 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-Leste’s road to independence.