 Portugal yakatora nzvimbo iyo yaizozivikanwa sePortuguese Timor pakati pezana ramakore rechi18, uye yakachengeta hafu yekumabvazuva kwechitsuwa West Timor yakanga iri yeDutch kusvikira Hondo Yenyika II sekoloni kusvikira kuPortugal kuruboshwe-kutendeuka kweCarnation Revolution muna 1974. Portugal yakazivisa donzo rayo rokupa yaichimbova koloni yayo kuzvimiririra uye mapato omunzvimbomo akaumbwa, achida kukwikwidza musarudzo dzokutanga dzakasununguka dzeEast Timor dzakarongwa nokuda kwa 1976. Indonesia, panguva iyoyo yakanga yakanyatsodzika midzi mumusasa wairwisana neSoviet muSoutheast Asia, yakatyisidzirwa nemapato ezasi ayo airatidzika kuva aizokunda musarudzo iyoyo. Indonesia yakapinda munharaunda yacho muna 1975 ndokubatanidza East Timor gore rakatevera racho. Makore 24 okubatwa kweEast Timor akazoteverakwakakuvadza zvikuru ukama hweIndonesia hwekudyidzana nedzimwe nyika uye mukurumbira wayo wepasi rose. 