The head of the United Nations transitional authority has announced that East Timor will hold its first democratic elections on 30 August next. This will prepare the way for eventual independence, which is expected later this year or in 2002. The August date marks the second anniversary of the overwhelming vote in favour of ending over 20 years of Jakarta rule. That was followed by the near-destruction of East Timor by Indonesian military-backed gangs and a UN administration took over.


















