On May 20, 2002, the Democratic Republic of East Timor (Timor-Leste) gained its independence, and on September 27, it became the 191 st member of the United Nations. With the help of the United Nations transitional administration, East Timor's independence marked the end of three centuries of Portuguese rule and 24 years of Indonesian control. Timor-Leste has many challenges to overcome to consolidate its democracy and develop its economy. Many observers feel that United Nations security forces left Timor-Leste prematurely in 2005 and that this allowed political violence to paralyze the country in 2006. President Jose Ramos-Horta called for the United Nations to remain in the country for five years in May 2008 citing ongoing concerns over the security situation and the potential for instability to return to the country. Many of the civilians displaced by civil disturbances and strife in 2006 returned to their homes in the 2008-2009 time period. A group of assassins led by mutineer former Major Alfredo Reinado failed in their attempt to assassinate president Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao on February 11, 2008. Reinado, who was killed in the failed attempt, was the leader of a group of over 600 former soldiers who had been fired from the army for striking over perceived regional discrimination in April 2006. The new leader of Reinado's group subsequently surrendered in April 2008. Although the security situation in Timor-Leste is "strikingly improved" at present, observers remain concerned that plans to implement security reforms have yet to be accomplished. This concern stems from the mutiny by security forces in 2006. Although the Timor-Leste government no longer faces an armed rebel group, it has yet to move to effectively address the underlying causes of the mutiny by security forces that occurred in 2006. A final report issued by the joint Indonesian-East Timorese Truth Commission in May 2008 blamed Indonesia for atrocities in 1999. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed his "deep regret" over the human rights violations. President Ramos-Horta urged Timor to move on and put the past aside after the report was released. There is also a degree of concern over government plans in 2009 to withdraw funds from Timor's Petroleum Fund. Timor continues to try to find a way to gain additional economic benefit from the gas reserves in the Timor Sea though the geography of the seabed, as well as political instability in Timor, has made Timor less attractive than Darwin, Australia, as a site for processing the natural gas. The role of China in Timor-Leste also increased in 2009. China is providing assistance with construction of government buildings and has offered to sell heavy oil power plants and patrol boats to Timor-Leste. By the end of 2007, the government of East Timor created the National Recovery Strategy Program, which covers five areas—housing, community trust-building, security and stability, social protection, and local socio-economic development. The approach to the return, resettlement, and reintegration options for IDPs is part of this framework. In June 2009, the last of the IDP camps was being closed. The government of East Timor has stated it will need support through 2009 to complete the decommissioning of the IDP camps and provide for returning persons. In the 1640s, the Portuguese began to assert control over East Timor. This colonial presence would last until 1975 when the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Fretilin) gained ascendancy over the Timorese Union Party, pushed them out of East Timor in a brief civil war, and declared independence on November 28, 1975. Indonesia invaded East Timor on December 7, 1975, and began a period of occupation during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 East Timorese died. Indonesia's annexation of East Timor as its 27 th province was not recognized by the United Nations. Under the supervision of the United Nations, a national referendum to decide on either autonomy within Indonesia or on independence from it was held, under U.N. supervision, in East Timor on August 30, 1999. Seventy-eight percent of the 98.6% of registered voters who voted opted for independence. This led to widespread retaliation and destruction by pro-integrationist militias backed by elements of the Indonesian military who were in favor of integration with Indonesia. More than 1,300 East Timorese were killed, and the displaced included more than 260,000 in West Timor and 200,000 in East Timor. Seventy percent of East Timor's economic infrastructure (such as housing stock, public buildings, and utilities), eighty percent of the schools, and virtually all medical facilities were destroyed by the militias. To quell the violence and restore order, a U.N.-authorized peacekeeping mission International Force East Timor (INTERFET) was established (under Australian command) and deployed on September 20, 1999. Australia has continued to play a leading role both in U.N. operations and on a bilateral basis with East Timor since 1999. Jose Ramos-Horta is the president and former prime minister of Timor-Leste. The president is the head of state and is directly elected for a five-year term of office. Ramos-Horta left Timor-Leste days before Indonesian troops invaded Timor-Leste in 1975. He went on to represent Fretilin abroad and press for Timor-Leste's cause on the international stage. In 1996 he was awarded the Nobel peace prize, along with Bishop Belo, for his work to promote the cause of Timor-Leste. He was appointed president after the resignation of Mari Alkatiri in July 2006. Ramos-Horta was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt led by former Major Alfredo Reinado on February 11, 2008. Former President Xanana Gusmao is the current prime minister and former president of Timor-Leste. Gusmao was a civil servant under Portuguese rule before taking up arms against the Indonesian occupation of Timor-Leste. Gusmao became leader of the resistance in Timor-Leste after the death of Fretilin commander Nicolau Lobato in 1978. Gusmao was captured by Indonesian forces in 1992 and sentenced to life in prison. He was released by Indonesian President B.J. Habibie in 1999. Gusmao became Timor-Leste's first president following elections on March 16, 2002. In 2007, Gusmao stepped down from the presidency to run for the office of prime minister, which he achieved through forming a coalition with smaller parties. Gusmao escaped injury during an attempted assassination by Reinado forces on February 11, 2008. Reinado led a group of disgruntled security forces that was a source of much insecurity in 2006. Mari Alkatiri was prime minister until he resigned in the wake of unrest following the dismissal of troops in 2006. He remains Secretary General of Fretilin and has considerable support within the country. Like Ramos-Horta, Alkatiri went abroad as Indonesian forces invaded Timor-Leste in 1975. Alkatiri is part of the small minority of Muslims in Timor-Leste. The relationship between Alkatiri and Gusmao has been described as hostile. Fretilin opposes moves by Gusmao to use the petroleum reserve to fund a budget deficit. The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste has a unicameral national parliament of 65 members. The current parliament was elected on June 30, 2007. The parliament grew out of a 88-member Constituent Assembly that was elected in August 2001 and drafted a constitution for East Timor that went into effect in 2002. East Timor at that time was under the administration of the United Nations, which had taken control in late 1999 after Indonesia withdrew from the territory. East Timor formally became independent on May 20, 2002. The new constitution provided for an elected parliament of 52 to 65 members, but the Constituent Assembly declared itself the first national parliament of the new state. Fretilin is the party that led the resistance to Indonesian rule. The constitution also provided for parliamentary government with a largely symbolic, popularly elected President. The parliamentary election of 2007 led to a coalition government headed by Xanana Gusmao who was sworn into office on August 6, 2007. Gusmao heads the Alianca com Maioria Parlementar (APM), or Alliance of the Parliamentary Majority, which is a four party coalition. The parties included in the coalition are: the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction, the Democrat Party, the Timorese Association of Social Democrats, and the Social Democrat Party. The main opposition party is the Frente Revolucionario do Timor-Leste Independente, Fretilin. The parliament faces many challenges. Many members fought with the Fretilin resistance to Indonesian rule and entered parliament with no legislative experience. Few members have college education. The business of parliament is hampered by the practice of Members using both legal languages, Tetum and Portuguese. Committees reportedly do attempt to exercise oversight over the executive branch, but the committees have few staff. Members have little support and few computers. Parliamentary and presidential election were held in 2007. The April presidential elections led to the election of former prime minister Ramos-Horta as president. Horta received 69% of the vote. Parliamentary elections in June 2007 led President Horta to ask Xanana Gusmao, the former president, to become prime minister at the head of the largest coalition of parties. The Fretilin party had won the most seats but it did not have a majority in parliament on its own. Violent protests followed the naming of Gusmao as prime minister.