From as early as the 13th century, there are records of visiting Javanese and Chinese traders drawn by sandalwood, honey and wax.
In the early 16th century European settlers began arriving. West Timor was colonized by the Dutch, while Timor-Leste became a Portuguese colony for over 400 years. Portuguese governance took advantage of forming alliances where they could with the existing traditional political structures based on kinship systems which were self-governing. While the Portuguese introduced coffee production, along with sugar cane and cotton, their rule was also a time of periodic bloody uprisings as they raised local taxes and used forced labour in construction plantations. Missionaries soon followed spreading the Catholic faith. As the colonists were mostly concerned with trading and for the best part concentrated their presence around the coast, the traditional lifestyle and animist beliefs of most Timorese remained preserved in the hinterland and were relatively unchanged well into the 20th century.

At a time when many were beginning to have hopes of being able to shape a democratic self-governing country while shaking off the inequality synonymous with a long history of colonial imperialism, Indonesia was threatening from the outside and from within. Indonesia had begun intervening politically through APODETI, and also brought in military to what was still seen officially as Portuguese territory.

East Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975, but was invaded by neighbouring Indonesia just nine days later. The country became a province of Indonesia for the following 24 years. During that time more than 200,000 Timorese lost their lives as a result of the systemic violence employed by the Indonesian military, associated disease and famine. Although Indonesia did make substantial investment in infrastructures during its occupation in East Timor,dissatisfaction remained widespread.

 

The independence movement operated on three significant fronts; the armed front, the clandestine front and the diplomatic front. The different phases of the resistance to Indonesian occupation reflected changes within the FRETILIN/FALANTIL leadership  as well as the changing nature of the international political climate. Many people risked their lives to ensure that evidence reached the outside world. Powerful leaders and influencial international organisations eventually were forced to recognize the harrowing reality for Timorese.

 

Indonesia found itself in an increasingly difficult position by October 1996, when the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to two Timorese leaders, Bishop Ximenes Belo and José Ramos Horta, adding to the growing assertiveness of the independence movement. Then in January 1999 Indonesia offered Timor-Leste ‘wide-ranging autonomy’. Shortly after spirited Timorese resistance and concerted efforts at the United Nations culminated in an independence referendum being held in 1999.  Despite a bloody campaign of intimidation, an overwhelming 78.5% of Timorese bravely voted for independence.

In response to this, the Indonesian army and backed militia rampaged through the country, torching Dili and other towns. As a result, one-third of the population were forced to resettle in refugee camps in West Timor and neighbouring islands. Another one-third looked for refuge in the mountains of Timor-Leste.  Nationwide, it is estimated that 1,000 – 2,000 more civilians were massacred at this time and around 70% of services, infrastructure and buildings were destroyed.

Following these events, the country was in a critical situation and the UN intervened and launched a large-scale humanitarian operation, including food supplies and other basic services and announced the need for a UN peacekeeping force to settle in the country. In the meantime, the International Force East Timor (INTERFET) was organized and led by Australia to address the humanitarian and security crisis until the arrival of UN peacekeepers.