It then moved Motion across the Timor Sea before hitting Attack the north Kimberley coast .

Thelma was the first known Category 5 cyclone to be observed Perception_active in the Timor Sea , and was also the most intense cyclone to threaten Warning Darwin since Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Eve in 1974 .

An audio-cassette purportedly carrying Bringing a recorded voice message from Osama bin Laden stated Statement that the Bali bombings Attack were in direct retaliation Revenge for support Supporting of the United States ' War on Terror and Australia 's role in the liberation of East Timor .

On that day , 242 Japanese aircraft , in two separate raids Attack , attacked Attack the town , ships in Darwin 's harbour and the town 's two airfields in an attempt to prevent Preventing_or_letting the Allies from using Using them as bases to contest Military_operation the invasion Attack of Timor and Java during World War Military_operation II .

The Indonesian occupation Control of East Timor began Process_start in December 1975 and lasted until October 1999 .

After centuries of Portuguese colonial rule Control in East Timor , a 1974 coup in Portugal led to the decolonisation of its former colonies , creating Creating instability in East Timor and leaving Causation its future uncertain .

After centuries of Portuguese colonial rule Control in East Timor , a 1974 coup in Portugal led to the decolonisation of its former colonies , creating Creating instability in East Timor and leaving Causation its future uncertain .

After a small-scale civil war , the pro-independence Fretilin declared Expressing_publicly victory in the capital city of Dili and declared Expressing_publicly an independent East Timor on 28 November 1975 .

Claiming that its assistance Assistance had been requested Request by East Timorese leaders , Indonesian military forces invaded Attack East Timor on 7 December 1975 and by 1979 they had all but destroyed Destroying the armed resistance to the occupation .

Following a controversial `` Popular Assembly '' which many said was not a genuine act of self-determination , Indonesia declared Expressing_publicly the territory a province of Indonesia ( Timor Timur ) .

Australia and Indonesia were the only nations in the world which recognised Agree_or_refuse_to_act East Timor as a province of Indonesia , and soon afterwards they began Process_start negotiations Communication to divide resources found in the Timor Gap .

Australia and Indonesia were the only nations in the world which recognised Agree_or_refuse_to_act East Timor as a province of Indonesia , and soon afterwards they began Process_start negotiations Communication to divide resources found in the Timor Gap .

The invasion Attack of East Timor and the suppression Hindering of its independence movement , however , caused Causation great harm Damaging to Indonesia 's reputation and international credibility .

For twenty-four years the Indonesian government subjected the people of East Timor to routine and systematic torture , sexual slavery , extrajudicial executions , massacres , and deliberate starvation .

Resistance to Indonesian rule remained Presence strong ; in 1996 the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Award to two men from East Timor , Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo and José Ramos-Horta , for their ongoing efforts to peacefully end Process_end the occupation .

A 1999 vote Choosing to determine East Timor 's future resulted in Causation an overwhelming majority in favour of independence , and in 2002 East Timor became Becoming an independent nation .

A 1999 vote Choosing to determine East Timor 's future resulted in Causation an overwhelming majority in favour of independence , and in 2002 East Timor became Becoming an independent nation .

Its limited Limiting scope and the small number of sentences delivered by Indonesian courts have caused Causation numerous observers to call Request for an international tribunal for East Timor .

Oxford University held Hold an academic consensus calling the occupation of East Timor a genocide and Yale University teaches Education_teaching it as part of its Genocide Studies program .

The Indonesian invasion of East Timor , known Know in Indonesia as Operation Lotus ( ) , began Process_start on 7 December 1975 when the Indonesian military invaded Attack East Timor under the pretext of anti-colonialism .

The Indonesian invasion of East Timor , known Know in Indonesia as Operation Lotus ( ) , began Process_start on 7 December 1975 when the Indonesian military invaded Attack East Timor under the pretext of anti-colonialism .

The last two decades of the century saw Motion continuous clashes Hostile_encounter between Indonesian and East Timorese groups over the status of East Timor , until 1999 , when a majority of East Timorese voted Choosing overwhelmingly for independence Forming_relationships ( the alternative option being `` special autonomy '' while remaining Temporary_stay part of Indonesia ) .

After a further two and a half years of transition under the auspices of three different United Nations missions , East Timor achieved Achieve independence on 20 May 2002 .

The storm Catastrophe moved Motion northward and curved Motion westward around the Top End of northwestern Australia , and subsequently moved Motion across several islands in Indonesia , first Timor on 18 March .

Tracking generally westward , the initial low-pressure area remained Presence generally weak until it entered the Timor Sea , by which time it had strengthened Cause_change_of_strength into a tropical cyclone on 5 December .

This was the first time Vietnam hosted Social_event the ASEAN Para Games Competition and the first time East Timor participated Participation at the ASEAN Para Games Competition .