Democratization and The Politics of Conflict Resolution in Indonesia: Institutional Analysis of East Timor Referendum in 1999

Most of the literature on post-conflict elections examines the process of utilizing elections to resolve intra-state conflict. Such topics as democratization, power sharing, and political participation have occupied important place in works on post-conflict elections, especially those related to ceasing hostilities in civil war. This paper seeks to explore post-conflict elections which are concerned with self-determination. The East Timor referendum in Indonesia provides an illuminating case in the exploration of post-conflict elections that have a bifurcated motive-to resolve the problem of the intra-state conflict and to secede from the Indonesian Republic. Using historical-institutional analysis of this particular case of referendum, this paper provides an illuminating example that the nature of East Timor referendum-based balloting may be similar to many cases of post-conflict election, nonetheless the motives and actors involved in the conflict are different. As a result, the approach for the international community in providing assistance and supports necessitates differences as well, especially in relation to the presence of international peace keeping forces on the ground when the balloting was held. This article seeks to contribute to literature on the study of democratic transition that intersects with the problem of secessionist politics in the developing countries.