Indonesian President B. J. Habibie announced that East Timor could choose between special autonomy within Indonesia and separation. The proposal followed 24 years of Indonesian occupation and East Timorese resistance, and opened a UN-facilitated path to a popular consultation.
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Ibrahim Mahama, The Harvest Season (Le Temps des récoltes)
📅 22 October 2026
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What did Habibie announce regarding East Timor in January 1999?
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Explanation
The announcement preceded the UN-facilitated popular consultation.
Habibie offered East Timor a choice between autonomy within Indonesia and separation.
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Explanation
His January announcement opened a path to the 1999 consultation.