East Timor today marks the tenth anniversary of the referendum which eventually led to its independence.

Thousands of people gathered in the capital Dili to attend the festivities which included performances by dozens of artists from the country's 13 districts and by Indonesian singer Krisdayanti.  The many dignitaries present included former independence fighters President José Ramos Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, as well as representatives of the Indonesian and Portuguese governments.

In August 1999, nearly 80 percent of the population voted for independence from Indonesia. However, soon after the referendum, anti-separatist militias sparked a wave of violence in which about 1,400 people were killed. After an international military intervention, the country was placed under UN authority. East Timor finally became independent in May 2002.