East Timorese political parties

APODETI -- The Timorese Popular Democratic Association. Formed in 1974, the group favored "autonomous integration" with Indonesia and reportedly received major financial and political aid from the country.

ASDT -- Formed in 1974, the pro-independence Association of Timorese Social Democrats later became FRETILIN.

CNRT -- National Council for East Timorese Resistance. Formed under the name CNRM in 1989 by Xanana Gusmão (who, although under house arrest, remains the group's supreme commander) and others. CNRT now represents the entire East Timorese resistance movement, including FRETILIN.

DSMTT -- The Student Solidarity Council of East Timor.

Falintil -- Originally FRETILIN's military wing, the group is now the military force of the CNRT.

FRETILIN -- The Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor. Started as ASDT, the group changed its name in September of 1974. FRETILIN declared the independence of the Democratic Republic of East Timor on November 28, 1975 on the verge of a full-scale Indonesian invasion of East Timor.

UDT -- The Timorese Democratic Union. Formed in 1974, the group initially favored continued ties with Portugal but soon came to support total independence. A brief union with FRETILIN ended in May 1975; the UDT was later defeated by FRETILIN and driven into West Timor.

Indonesian political parties

Golkar -- Founded in 1964, this is the ruling political party of Suharto and Habibie. Golkar finished second, behind the Indonesian Democratic Party, in last June's general elections.

PAN -- National Mandate Party of Indonesia.

PBB -- Crescent and Star Party of Indonesia.

PDI-P -- Indonesian Democratic Party - Struggle. The winning party in last June's elections, led by Sukarno's daughter, Megawati Sukarnoputri.

PKB -- National Awakening Party.

PKI -- Indonesian Communist Party.

PPP -- United Development Party.

PRD -- Democratic People's Party.

Militias/Paramilitaries

ABLAI -- Meaning "I will fight to preserve the mandate for integration," this militia operates in Manufahi.

AHI -- An acronym for "I will uphold integration," this militia operates in Ailiu.

Aitarak -- Aitarak, meaning "thorn," is a militia that operates in Dili and is led by Eurico Guterres.

Alfa -- Paramilitary operating in Lautem.

BMP -- The Besi Merah Putih is a militia operating in Liquica; the name means "iron rod for the red-and-white" (referring to the Indonesian flag).

BRTT -- East Timor Popular Front. Led by Francisco Lopes da Cruz, this group has army support and is active in pro-Indonesian propaganda campaigns.

FPDK -- United Forum for Democracy and Justice. Led by Domingo Soares, district head of Dili, and Eurico Gutteres, head of the Aitarak militia, this is the political front of the militias.

Halilintar -- Meaning "lightning," this paramilitary group operates in Bobonaro.

Kelompok Naga Merah -- This militia operates in the Ermera District.

Laksaur -- Militia operating in Covalimal.

Mahidi -- An acronym for "live or die for integration," this militia operates in Ainaro.

Makikit -- Paramilitary operating in Viqueque.

Tim Pancasila -- Paramilitary operating in the Ermera District.

Tim Saka -- Paramilitary operating in Baucau.

Tim Sera -- Another Baucau militia.

Other things to know

ABRI -- Indonesia's armed forces, including the national police, army, navy, marines and air force. In April 1999, the national armed forces (renamed TNI) split from the national police (Polri).

Bahasa Indonesia -- The official Indonesian language.

BAKIN -- The Indonesian army's intelligence service.

Interfet -- UN-sponsored International Force for East Timor.

CGI -- The Consultative Group on Indonesia. Formed in 1989, the group comprises 19 donor countries and 13 international organizations and facilitates economic assistance to Indonesia.

EDA -- The Excess Defense Articles program allows the US military to rid itself of unwanted surplus by selling weaponry and equipment cheaply -- or giving them away free -- to foreign countries.

E-IMET -- Expanded International Military Education and Training program.

ETAN -- East Timor Action Network.

ETHRC -- East Timor Human Rights Centre.

ICRC -- International Committee of the Red Cross.

IFET -- International Federation for East Timor; an umbrella organization for many international activist groups, including ETAN.

IMET -- International Military Education and Training program.

IMF -- International Monetary Fund.

JCET -- Joint Combined Exchange and Training program.

Kamra -- Indonesia's civil defense unit of the public security force.

Kontras -- A volunteer human-rights-monitoring group based in East Timor, Kontras documents torture and murder committed by pro-integration militias.

Kopassus -- The elite Special Forces Command of the Indonesian armed forces.

Maubere -- From an indigenous Timorese language, the word was used derisively by the Portuguese to refer to the people of East Timor. FRETILIN adopted the word into the proud language of the resistance.

PAM Swarkasa -- the civil defense organization charged with keeping the peace at the polls. Eurico Guterres, leader of the Aitarak militia, was named by the Indonesian military to lead the group. The UN has denounced the appointment.

SARET -- Special Autonomous Region of East Timor. SARET will be (at least temporarily) the official name of East Timor if the vote favors autonomy instead of independence.

SGI -- The intelligence task force of Kopassus.

Tetum -- The primary indigenous language of the East Timorese. The Indonesians have made many attempts to eradicate the language and force East Timorese to speak Bahasa Indonesia.

Timor Timur (or TimTim) -- The Indonesian name for East Timor.

TNI -- The Indonesian National Army. In April of 1999, TNI split from the national police; both used to be referred to as ABRI.

UNAMET -- The United Nations Assistance Mission to East Timor.

USIS -- The United States Indonesia Society.

YHAK -- The Foundation for Human Rights and Justice, a human-rights watchdog group based in East Timor.