The groups pillaged East Timor after last year's independence vote, which freed the territory from decades of military control.

About 120,000 refugees, who fled the militia's mayhem following the independence vote, are living in camps on the West Timor border.

The measure, approved by 71 percent of voters, will give the territory broad new powers, but delay an independence vote for 15 to 20 years.

BBC Scotland will be in a difficult position during the run-up to any independence vote.

Alex Salmond rejects government claims that he has no legal power to hold a Scottish independence vote in 2014.

Go for it with a hard independence vote, not an 'independence light ' option.

He knows that by also offering fiscal autonomy he's splitting the independence vote and decreasing the chances of it happening.

In the independence vote held on 5 November 1964, 89.1% of the 61.6% turnout voted for statehood under the extant 1961 constitution.

PM accused of "seeking to interfere" with rights of Scottish people by trying to impose conditions on independence vote.

The Council sent a delegation to East Timor a year ago when a massacre erupted after the independence vote.