After hundreds of years of foreign rule, the deaths of a quarter of its people and its near total destruction, East Timor elects its own leaders today for the first time, a giant step towards its hard-fought freedom.
The half-island territory was strangely quiet on election eve, with the UN administration banning political activity after days of frantic and colourful campaigning.
UN officials are expecting almost all of the 425,000 registered voters to turn out for the ballot for a constituent assembly on the second anniversary of their vote to split from Indonesia.
That vote unleashed a fury of killing and destruction by pro-Jakarta militias backed by Indonesian troops.
"I'd be surprised to see voter turnout less than 90 per cent and I would not be surprised to see 95, 96 per cent," said the head of the UN Development Programme in East Timor, Mr Finn Reske-Nielsen. "It bodes well for the future. Some much more well-established democracies claim only 50 per cent turnout." Despite fears of bloodshed and raids by militiamen sheltering in Indonesian West Timor, the campaign has been remarkably peaceful. The most serious incident so far: the stoning of a car.
East Timor's president-in-waiting, Mr Xanana Gusmao, yesterday toured the western part of the territory appealing for peace. "It's your right to choose according to your wishes," he told voters in the impoverished mountain village of Bobonaro. "Whoever wins, it is their duty to improve conditions."
The poll is for an 88-member assembly that will draw up a constitution within 90 days, paving the way for choosing a president, most likely in another election by April, and ultimately independence. Informal results are expected by about September 5th and a formal tally on September 10th.
Fretilin, which spearheaded the fight for independence, is expected to win an overwhelming majority in the election, which is being contested by 16 parties and more than 1,000 candidates.
Mr Gusmao, a charismatic poet turned guerrilla leader who is not running in the assembly election, is virtually certain to win the presidential poll and become the first leader of the world's newest country.
He has said he would rather take photographs and grow pumpkins than be president, but on the weekend he reluctantly caved in to public pressure to stand in the presidential vote. He has no real rival.
David Shanks adds:
Mr Tom Hyland, co-ordinator of the East Timor Ireland Solidarity Campaign, called yesterday for the Government to act as "mentor" for the emerging nation of Timor Loro Sae in education, health, transportation, "and of course information technology".
Mr Hyland, on a visit to Ireland from East Timor, said: "Now more than ever the role of Ireland will be critical as East Timor takes its first tentative steps towards full independence." He called for "a meaningful bilateral relationship" with Timor. The Irish presence there includes Concern, Goal, a Government representative and the Army.