Dili

Dili, also spelled Dilli or Dilly, is the capital of East Timor. It lies on the northern coast of Timor island, the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. Dili is the chief port and commercial centre for East Timor, and has approximately 150 000 people. There is also an airport in Comoro, renamed after independence leader Nicolau Lobato, which is used for commercial and military flights. Dili is located at 8°34' South, 125°34' East (-8.5667, 125.5667).

Buildings and Monuments

Most buildings were destroyed in the violence of 1999, orchestrated by the Indonesian military and local pro-Indonesian militias (see Operation Scorched Earth). However, the city still has many buildings from the Portuguese era. The former Portuguese Governor's office is now the office of the Prime Minister, Mari Bin Amude Alkatiri. It was previously also used by the Indonesian-appointed Governor, and by the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET).

Related Topics:
1999 - Indonesian military - Operation Scorched Earth - Portuguese - Mari Bin Amude Alkatiri - United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor

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Even under Indonesian rule, during which the Portuguese language was banned, Portuguese street names like Avenida Marechal Carmona remained unchanged, although they were prefixed with the Indonesian word Jalan or 'road'. The Roman Catholic Church at Motael became a focus for resistance to Indonesian occupation.

Related Topics:
Indonesian - Roman Catholic Church

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Legacies of Jakarta's occupation are the Church of the Immaculate Conception, purportedly the largest cathedral in Southeast Asia, and the 'Integration Monument', commemorating the Indonesian annexation of the territory in 1976. Featuring a statue of a Timorese in traditional dress, breaking the chains round his wrists, the monument has not yet been demolished.

Related Topics:
Jakarta - Immaculate Conception - Southeast Asia - 1976

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