Place:Dili, Dili, East Timor

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Dili (Portuguese/Tetum: Díli) is the capital and largest city of East Timor. It lies on the northern coast of the island of Timor, in a small area of flat land hemmed in by mountains. The climate is tropical, with distinct wet and dry seasons. The city has served as the economic hub and chief port of what is now East Timor since its designation as the capital of Portuguese Timor in 1769. It also serves as the capital of the Dili Municipality, which includes some rural subdivisions in addition to the urban ones which make up the city itself. Dili's growing population is relatively youthful, being mostly of working age. The local language is Tetum, however residents include many internal migrants from other areas of the country.

The initial settlement was situated in what is now the old quarter in the eastern side of the city. Centuries of Portuguese rule were interrupted in World War II, when Dili became the site of a battle between Allied and Japanese forces. The damaged city returned to Portuguese control following the war. In 1975, a civil war between Timorese political parties broke out, leading to a declaration of independence and a subsequent invasion by Indonesia. Under Indonesian rule infrastructure in the city was developed, with landmarks such as the Immaculate Conception Cathedral and Cristo Rei of Dili being built during this time. The city expanded as its population grew to over 100,000 people.

Resistance to Indonesian rule faced violent repression, and a massacre in Dili led to international pressure culminating in an independence referendum. Following a vote for independence violence erupted in the city, destroying huge amounts of its infrastructure and leading to an exodus of refugees. A period of United Nations rule followed, during which international agencies began the reconstruction of the city. Dili became the capital of an independent East Timor in 2002. A period of violence in 2006 saw another period of infrastructure damage and population displacement. In 2009 the government launched the City of Peace campaign to reduce tensions. As the population has continued to grow and the original site of the city has filled up, the urban area has expanded into coastal areas to the east and west of the main city.

Infrastructure in Dili continues to be developed. The city was the first location in East Timor to see 24 hours of electricity, although its water infrastructure remains relatively limited. Education levels are higher than the national average, and the country's universities are located in the city. An international port and airport lie within the city limits. Most economic activity comes from the tertiary sector and public employment. To further build the economy, the government is developing the tourism potential of the city, focusing on cultural, environmental, and historical attractions.

History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Dili has played a central role in the history of East Timor.^[1] However, early records about Timor, especially before the 1700s, are sparse. The tumultuous history of the city has resulted in a great deal of information being lost; archives in the city were destroyed in 1779, 1890, 1975, and 1999.^[2]

The island of Timor was possibly known as a source for sandalwood in the 15th century. The first recorded Portuguese voyage to the island from Portuguese Malacca occurred in 1516, returning with sandalwood. In 1521, sandalwood was left out of a list of products under royal monopoly, leaving most trade with Timor in the hands of private enterprises.^[3] Portuguese and Spanish interest in the island increased in the 1520s, with regular trade established by 1524.^[4] In the late 1500s, administrative officials began to be appointed to nearby Solor with jurisdiction over that island and Timor, signifying increasing state interest in Portuguese activities there.^[3] The Netherlands began to compete for control of the island in 1613, especially in the west.^[4] A rebellion in 1629 forced the Portuguese off the island for three years.^[4] In 1641, a number of kings in Timor converted to Catholicism while seeking Portuguese protection. This introduced a political dimension to Portuguese influence, which had previously been primarily economic.^[3]

Timor became administratively separated from Solor in 1646, although the exact administrative structure is unknown.^[3] It received its first dedicated governor in 1702, who resided in Lifau. This reflected the growing importance of Timor compared to nearby Flores.^[3] 1749 saw Dutch military forces take control over large portions of the island, broadly reflecting current borders.^[3] In 1769, seeking to break the influence of powerful local families in Lifau, the Portuguese governor moved the administration and 1,200 people to the site of what would become Dili. From 1788 to 1790, a civil war broke out between the Governor in Dili and an official based in Manatuto, which was resolved upon the arrival of a new governor. In response to Dutch provocations, a permanent military force was established in 1818.^[3] A revolt to the east led to the city being isolated in 1861, however the revolt was defeated by the Portuguese and their Timorese allies. Alfred Russel Wallace visiting in the 1860s wrote that the Governor's house was "merely a low whitewashed cottage", and that all other buildings appeared to be mud and thatch. At the time swamps and mudflats surrounded the town, which did not extend to the mountains surrounding it.

In 1844 Timor, along with Macau and Solor, was removed from the jurisdiction of Portuguese India. A few years later in 1850, Portuguese Timor was removed from the jurisdiction of the governor of Macau, before being returned to the jurisdiction of Portuguese India in 1856. In 1863, Dili was declared a city (although the news may not have arrived to the city until the next year), and East Timor became directly subordinate to the Lisbon government. In 1866 the territory was again put under the jurisdiction of Macau. An 1887 mutiny in Dili led to the death of the Governor at the time. The territory was separated from Macau for the last time in 1896, again coming directly under the jurisdiction of Lisbon, and becoming a full province in 1909.^[3]

Another notable revolt took place in the years after the 1910 republican revolution in Portugal.^[4] The republican government downgraded the status of its overseas provinces to colonies.^[3] A civil government was established in 1913. As the administrative structures developed, Dili became part of the Dili municipality in 1940, the first municipal administration to be created. At the time the municipality was larger, including what is now the Aileu Municipality.

During World War II, Portugal and its colonies remained neutral, but the Allies saw East Timor as a potential target for Japanese invasion. Upon the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941, Australian and Dutch troops were sent to Dili despite Portuguese objections. In response, the Japanese invaded Dili as part of a two-pronged invasion of Timor. The city had been mostly abandoned prior to the invasion,^[4] and allied forces retreated further into the island. The Japanese left the Portuguese Governor nominally in position, but took over administration. Much of Dili was destroyed during the war,^[5] from the initial Japanese invasion and from later allied bombings.^[4] Japanese forces on the island of Timor surrendered to Australian forces at the end of the war.^[5] Following the surrender, an Australian official travelled to Dili where on 23 September 1945 he informed the Portuguese governor of the Japanese surrender.

Following the Second World War, Dili covered what today is the old core of the city, within the sucos of Acadiru Hun, Bemori, Bidau Lecidere, Caicoli, Colmera, Culu Hun, Gricenfor, Motael, and Santa Cruz. Portuguese Timor became a full part of Portugal in 1951, although this did not bring the locals any political power. Dili remained the only area with any significant development. In 1960, the population of Dili was about 7,000 people.^[6]

The 1974 Carnation Revolution in Portugal created immediate change in East Timor, with new political parties forming with the goal of independence from Portugal. Relationships between these new parties was fractious. Some, particularly the Timorese Democratic Union (UDT), advocated union with Indonesia.^[4] On 11 August 1975, the UDT initiated a coup.^[2] UDT control was limited outside of Dili, and on 20 August the opposing Fretilin party began its attempt to seize the city. Some houses were set on fire to assist the defence, however after some days Fretilin succeeded in taking control of the city. The last Portuguese governor fled Dili for Atauro Island on 26 August, as the civil war continued.^[4][2] On 28 November, Fretilin declared independence in a ceremony in Dili. On 7 December, Indonesia landed paratroopers in the city and amphibious forces to its west, as part of an invasion of East Timor,^[7] leading many to flee the city.^[8]

This invasion brought the territory under Indonesian rule. On 17 July 1976, Indonesia annexed East Timor, which it designated its 27th province^[4] Despite Indonesian attempts to restrict rural-urban migration, the population of Dili continued to grow, reaching 80,000 people in 1985, and over 100,000 in 1999, and economic growth for the territory remained centred in Dili. Indonesia developed the city's infrastructure, partly as an attempt to win over the population. Structures and monuments built during this time include the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, the Integration Statue commemorating the end of Portuguese rule, and the Cristo Rei of Dili. By the 1990s, urban sprawl had taken up much of the available flat land around the original settlement.^[9]

In the 1980s, resistance to Indonesian rule grew among youth in the city.^[1] In the late 1980s, Indonesia began allowing foreign tourists access to the city, with the entire province previously being restricted.^[10] A visit by Pope John Paul II in 1989 was interrupted by independence activists.^[4] On 12 November 1991, Indonesian forces were filmed shooting at a funeral procession. This led to global condemnation of Indonesia's rule in East Timor, increasing pressure for East Timorese self-determination.^[2] The 1997 Asian financial crisis along with a drought related to an El Niño event led to profound food insecurity, worse for Dili than any other city in Indonesia.^[1] The crisis also precipitated the resignation of Indonesian President Suharto, whose successor, B. J. Habibie, soon approved a referendum on East Timorese independence.^[1] Outbreaks of violence from pro-Indonesian militia occurred throughout the country in the months leading up to the vote.^[4] In August 1999, East Timor voted for independence.^[1]

The vote led to a period of extreme violence, as pro-Indonesian militia were unchecked by the Indonesian military that was meant to be providing security. On 4 September, when the result was announced, Indonesian police began to leave Dili. In the first 48 hours, international media organisations present in the city reported 145 deaths. Most foreigners were evacuated.^[4] Violence continued for several days,^[11] causing significant damage to infrastructure and housing in the city.^[2] Administrative buildings were looted, and much of the city was destroyed by fire. 120,000 people became refugees. International pressure grew for an international peacekeeping force to replace the Indonesian military, which Indonesia agreed to on 12 September. On 14 September, the UN evacuated refugees that had been sheltering in its Dili compound to Australia. The Australian-led International Force East Timor arrived on 20 September.^[11]

Dili's continued to grow under UN rule. As Indonesian infrastructure investment outside of Dili was not replicated by the UN government, leaving it to deteriorate, population growth was driven in part due to internal migration from these areas to the city.^[1] Housing left abandoned by Indonesians in 1999 was occupied by squatters. This was most common in the western areas of the city.^[12] Most inward migration during this period was from eastern areas of the country.^[1] Population growth combined with a poor economy led to an increase of urban poverty and unemployment, especially amongst youth.^[1] This was despite the city reaping 80% of the economic benefits of reconstruction efforts. 65% of direct jobs created by the UN were in Dili, which rose to 80% when including indirect jobs.^[1]

Following the beginning of UN rule, the population of Dili grew by over 10% annually. This was a result of both rural-urban migration, and a baby boom driven by the country having highest fertility rate in the world. By 2004, the population had reached 173,541 people,^[1] with unemployment at 26.9% overall, and 43.4% for men aged 15-29. Around half of employment for these young men was informal.^[1] Issues with food security reoccurred periodically throughout the early years of independence.^[1]

By 2006, Dili produced half of the country's non-oil GDP.^[1] It was also receiving two-thirds of government expenditure, and 80% of goods and services.^[1] However, economic benefits were distributed unequally. 1999 saw the end of Indonesian subsidises of core food products, which alongside infrastructure destruction led to rapid inflation. Under UN rule, the use of the US dollar and the purchasing power of international organisations led to price increases. Together, these factors led to extremely high costs of living. Electricity cost four times as much as it did in Indonesia, averaging $15 per household. Telecommunications and petrol similarly grew in price compared to Indonesia. By 2006 Dili had the eighth-highest living costs of any city in Asia, despite the country's having Asia's lowest GDP.^[1] At this point, the city had around 300 youth groups, some of which were involved in the informal economy.^[1] These groups, driven by unemployment, were often connected to former guerillas and current politicians.^[1] Many developed identities reflecting the regional origins of their members, especially with regards to the broad distinction between those from the east and those from the west.^[1]

In April 2006, disputes within the military between a leadership mostly from the east of the country and soldiers mostly from the west spilled over into street violence in Dili.^[1] Disputes over housing, again mostly between groups from the east and west, contributed to property destruction. Most of the 150,000 people displaced were from Dili, including about half of the city's residents.^[13] Around 72,000 people ended up in camps, while 80,000 fled to rural areas.^[1] Rice prices in the city increased by half by October 2006, and then almost doubled again by February 2007.^[1] Foreign military intervention was needed to restore order.^[1]

A National Recovery Strategy was put in place following the 2007 national election to return these people.^[13] In 2008, around 30,000 people displaced from Dili remained in camps, while 70,000 continued to live with friends or family.^[8] Continuing unrest led to the attempted assassinations of the country's President and Prime Minister.^[14] By 2009 most displaced people had returned to the city, and the camps were officially closed by the end of the year. However, some community tensions remained.^[13][8] In a couple of areas, there were two or three fights a week between opposing youth groups.^[13] Nonetheless, large-scale violence did not return. Mediation teams were utilised to assist in the resettlement of some displaced people to their previous homes.^[8]

In May 2009, the year-long Dili City of Peace campaign was launched by Jose Ramos-Horta. The initiative was created to build unity and prevent violence, with the 2006 East Timorese crisis in mind. The campaign included dialogues between different sectors of Timorese society, a cycling tour, a Dili marathon, and a reforestation initiative. Focusing the peace campaign on Dili reflects the influence it has on the entire country, with the government expecting its impacts would extend beyond the city itself.^[15] The Latelek (Bridge) Project was instituted from 2010-2012 by some organs of the Catholic Church to improve community cohesion, reintegrating previously displaced individuals with those who had remained.^[13] Other programs were initiated by the government and NGOs to tackle issues such as skills development, youth engagement, and women's empowerment. Some sucos developed community laws to reduce violence.^[13]

By 2010 the municipal population reached 234,026 people, of which 210,250 lived in urban areas. In 2018 the population reached 281,000 people. During a period of COVID-19 restrictions, the city was hit by the worst flood in 50 years in April 2021.

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