The new government, in disarray because of violent infighting between factions, was left vulnerable to outside strikes. Several days after the new government had formed, military forces from Indonesia took the island and, by 1976, had annexed it. According to Indonesian accounts, East Timor's elected officials made the decision to incorporate the region into Indonesia. The Indonesian government said that its military response came at the behest of local leaders who needed outside assistance to quell the battles between warring factions. From there, the elected People's Assembly of East Timor submitted a resolution to the Indonesian House of Representatives petitioning for incorporation.
Foreign observers disagree, however, saying Indonesia forcibly steered East Timor into annexation.
The United Nations and all western countries except Australia have ignored the annexation altogether, and continue to recognize East Timor as a Portuguese possession. From either side, it is clear incorporation did not come easily. After the annexation in 1976, guerrilla forces continued to resist Indonesian troops in the island's mountainous terrain, a battle that has continued nearly uninterrupted for 23 years. William Liddle, a political scientist specializing in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, contends that acceptance of Indonesian rule has been at the center of the conflict in East Timor. An atmosphere of repression and violence in East Timor since the annexation has been widely reported by western news organizations.