Indonesia Transfers Authority Over East Timor to the United Nations

Indonesia officially transferred authority over East Timor to the United Nations, marking a significant step towards the territory's independence. The transfer, which took place on October 29, 1999, saw Indonesian President Abdurahman Wahid hand over a document to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. This move comes after the Indonesian government ratified the result of the August 30 ballot, in which the majority of East Timorese people voted for independence. The transfer signifies the return of East Timor's status to the era of July 1976, when the territory had no self-government.

Key Takeaways:

• Indonesia transferred authority over East Timor to the United Nations on October 29, 1999.
• The transfer marked a significant step towards East Timor's independence, which was supported by the majority of East Timorese people in the August 30 ballot.
• Indonesian President Abdurahman Wahid handed over a document to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, which included a letter dated October 25, 1999, informing Annan of the Indonesian government's decision.
• The letter stated that the previous decree, no.VI/MPR/1978, regarding the integration of East Timor into Indonesia, was now void, and that the territory's status had returned to July 17, 1976.
• The transfer of authority was in line with chapter 6 of an agreement made on May 5 in New York, which outlined the amicable transfer of authority to the UN.
• The UN, along with Indonesia and Portugal, will commit to regulations on the transfer of authority, with the goal of ushering East Timor towards independence.
• UN Secretary General Kofi Annan expressed his hope for Indonesia's progress in the years to come and indicated his intention to visit Indonesia and East Timor in the future.

Statistics:

• August 30: The date of the ballot in which the majority of East Timorese people voted for independence.
• October 19: The date on which Indonesia's Assembly (MPR) approved the decree, ratifying the result of the August 30 ballot.
• October 25: The date of the letter from Indonesian President Abdurahman Wahid to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
• October 29: The date of the transfer of authority from Indonesia to the United Nations.
• May 5: The date of the agreement made in New York, outlining the amicable transfer of authority to the UN.
• July 17, 1976: The date when East Timor last had no self-government.

Sources:

• "Indonesia transfers East Timor to UN", Asia Pulse Pte Ltd News, October 29, 1999.
• "Indonesia Hands Over East Timor to UN", ANTARA, October 29, 1999.