East Timor 2001
Yearbook 2001
Timor. Freedom hero Jos谷 Xanana Gusmão agreed in August to run for office as East Timor’s first president when the country becomes independent on May 20, 2002. Gusmão’s Fretilin party received just over 57% of the vote and 55 out of 88 seats in the August election to a constituent assembly, whose task becomes writing a constitution. Thereafter, the congregation is transformed into a regular parliament.
UN forces UNTAET will remain in East Timor for the time being until a domestic defense force has been created. The UN allocated correspondingly more than SEK 15 million to weapons for East Timor’s own defense.
East Timor and Australia signed an agreement on oil and gas extraction in the Timor Sea in July. The agreement is estimated to give East Timor the equivalent of about SEK 50 billion over 20 years from 2004.
- Abbreviationfinder: lists typical abbreviations and country overview of East Timor, including bordering countries, geography, history, politics, and economics.
In March 2014, two paramilitary groups were declared illegal by Parliament for their “attempt to create instability”. These were the Mauber Revolution Council (KRM) and the Democratic People’s Council of East Timor Democratic Republic (CPD-RDTL). The leaders of the two groups were charged. In March 2015, the KRM launched a series of armed attacks on police stations. The state responded hard again, but at the same time gave amnesty to the rebels who wanted to surrender. In August 2015, KRM leader Mauk Moruk was killed during an attack on a KRM camp. Both the KRM and the CPD-RDTL originally originated from Fretilin, but were self-satisfied that, in their view, the government did not do enough for the country’s poorest.
In May 2014, Parliament passed a new media law that imposed severe restrictions on journalists’ work and freedom of expression. An appeals court overturned the law in August, declaring it to be in violation of the Constitution. A revised law that also included a number of restrictions on freedom of expression was signed by the president in December.
Xanana Gusmão resigned as prime minister in February 2015. His explanation was that he wanted to make room for a new generation of politicians. Gusmão, however, continued in government but on the post of Planning and Strategic Development Minister. Gusmão pointed to former Health Minister Rui Maria de Araújo as his successor to the Prime Minister’s post. Araújo was good enough from the opposition party Fretilin, but was. Gusmão a unifying person. The president followed Gusmão’s recommendation and a few days later appointed Araújo as prime minister.
Francisco Guterres of Fretilin won the presidential election in March 2017 with 57.1% of the vote. His main counterpart, António da Conceição of the Democratic Party, got 32.5%. Guterres had also run in the 2007 and 12 elections, but had been beaten in both elections.
Fretilin’s Mari Alkatiri assumed the post of Prime Minister in September 2017.
Population 2001
According to Countryaah, the population of East Timor in 2001 was 995,024, ranking number 156 in the world. The population growth rate was 2.390% yearly, and the population density was 66.9223 people per km2.
