May 20 is a day of honour to the Timorese victims — not just those killed in the massacre at the Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili, but the determined fighters who resisted the Indonesian occupation for over two decades. On May 20, 2002, Timor-Leste finally became independent.
From Portuguese Colony to Indonesian Province
Timor-Leste was known as Portuguese Timor and remained a Portuguese colony until 1975, the year it declared independence. However, just three days later, Indonesia invaded the territory and imposed a brutal policy of repression.
The United Nations continued to recognise Timor as a Portuguese territory under decolonisation until 1999. Indonesia, however, classified it as its 27th province — called Timor Timur — and carried out a campaign of genocide, resulting in the massacre of thousands of East Timorese across hundreds of villages destroyed by the Indonesian army.
Key Moments on the Road to Independence
- October 1989 — Pope John Paul II visited Timor-Leste. His presence emboldened the Timorese to stage demonstrations in favour of independence, which the Indonesian regime violently suppressed.
- 12 November 1991 — Indonesian soldiers opened fire on demonstrators who were paying tribute to a student killed by the regime. The memorial, held at the Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili, turned into a massacre: 200 people were killed on the scene, and many more were arrested in the days that followed. The event brought the Timorese cause to world attention.
- October 1996 — The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Bishop Ximenes Belo and Ramos Horta, giving the independence struggle worldwide recognition.
- April 2001 — The Timorese went to the polls and elected Xanana Gusmão as president.
- 20 May 2002 — Timor-Leste became fully independent, ending the Indonesian occupation.
Other Events on This Date in History
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1498 | Vasco da Gama arrives in Calicut, India |
| 1769 | A Portuguese alvará declares the Inquisition as the Royal Court |
| 1940 | First prisoners arrive at the Auschwitz concentration camp |
| 2002 | Indonesian occupation of Timor-Leste ends |
Notable Births on May 20
| Name | Nationality | Notable for |
|---|---|---|
| Marcellin Champagnat (1789) | French | Religious founder of the Marist Brothers Institute |
| Honoré de Balzac (1799) | French | Writer |
| John Stuart Mill (1806) | British | Philosopher and economist |
| Lydia Cabrera (1899) | Cuban | Anthropologist and poet |
| Maria Teresa Horta (1937) | Portuguese | Poet and writer |
| Joe Cocker (1944) | British | Singer |
| Cher (1946) | American | Actress and singer |
Notable Deaths on May 20
| Name | Notable for |
|---|---|
| Pope John XXI (1277) | The only Portuguese Pope |
| Christopher Columbus (1506) | Italian navigator |
| Ana Néri (1880) | Brazilian nurse |
| Paul Ricoeur (2005) | French philosopher |
| Stanley Miller (2007) | Scientist |
Today, Timor-Leste commemorates its Independence Day and remembers all those who sacrificed their lives on the long journey to freedom.