Parties compete, foreign powers take interest Developments in Portuguese Timor during 1974 and 1975 were watched closely by Indonesia and Australia. Suharto's "New Order", which had effectively eliminated Indonesia's Communist Party PKI in 1965, was alarmed by what it saw as the increasingly left-leaning Fretilin, and by the prospect of a small independent leftist state in the midst of the archipelago inspiring separatism in parts of the surrounding archipelago.
parties compete foreign powers take interest developments in portuguese timor during 1974 and 1975 were watched closely by indonesia and australia suharto's "new order" which had effectively eliminated indonesia's communist party pki in 1965 was alarmed by what it saw as the increasingly left-leaning fretilin and by the prospect of a small independent leftist state in the midst of the archipelago inspiring separatism in parts of the surrounding archipelago