978-1-4222-3430-3

the massacre spread, people were horrified. The issue of East Timor was no longer hidden from the world. The other event that took place in 1991 was the fall of the Soviet Union. With communism crumbling and the Cold War over, countries such as the United States could no longer claim to support Indonesia’s actions out of fear of a communist uprising in an independent East Timor. The international community began to put pressure on Indonesia to withdraw its forces from East Timor.Finally,in 1999,Indonesia agreed to hold a referendum in the territory, offering the Timorese a choice between inde- pendence and becoming a self-governing province of Indonesia.When the results of the referendum were in, 78.5 percent had voted for independence. Indonesia struck back against East Timor’s decision by raiding and attacking

Fishermen in Timor Leste; fishing is one of the main livelihoods in the country.

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United Nations