Sophie Raynor – There are 100,000 people tonight in Tasi Tolu, a wide, flat, dusty expanse on Dili's outskirts, near the capital's western bus terminal, with enough space to fit all those coming to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Timor-Leste's vote for independence.

James Massola, Dili – Millions of dollars of Chinese heavy machinery and at least 20 Chinese workers are sitting idle on East Timor's south coast, waiting to resume work on multimillion-dollar infrastructure projects.

Hannah Sinclair, Timor-Leste – Superintendent Natercia E.S. Martins is a rare type of authority figure in the Southeast Asian nation of Timor-Leste.

Not only is she female, she's also determined to encourage other women to take up space in what she calls typically "masculine spheres".

Binoy Kampmark – Cringe worthy, a touch molesting in sentiment: this was the celebratory occasion of the gathering of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison with his East Timorese counterparts.

James Massola, Dili – Joanna Remejio has a crystal-clear memory of the night her first child, Pedro Unamet, entered the world. She was 20 and her husband, Simplicio, was 17. It was Tuesday, September 7, 1999.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a major funding package for the East Timor defence force to counter China but former president Jose Ramos-Horta says he is more worried about its influence in Australia.

Anne Barker – It was Timor-Leste's biggest party since independence itself.

Thousands turned out last night at Tasi Tolu ("Three Lakes") just outside Dili, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 1999 independence vote that led to Timor-Leste's freedom from Indonesian occupation.

Luke Henriques-Gomes – In my family, the thought of Timor always lingered in the air.

At birthday dinners, or Easter or Christmas with the cousins (like all Timorese, cousins is an imprecise term), we would talk about the football or our jobs or studies.

In 1999, Navy Captain Shaun Fogarty was deployed to East Timor as a military liaison officer with the United Nations.

Capt Fogarty was in town for the country's independence referendum and to make sure it was free from political interference.

While the vote went off without a hitch, the results triggered violence around the country from pro-Indonesian militia.

The Timor-Leste government has presented the Australian union movement the Medal of the Order for their assistance in achieving independence.

Australian unions have been presented the Medal of the Order of Timor-Leste in recognition of the role the movement played in the campaign for the country's independence 20 years ago.

Sandra Fulloon – Australian inventor and entrepreneur Dr Len Humphreys has found a way to convert used plastic into products such as fuel – and he says it's a game changer.

Jonas Guterres – Every year on August 30, Timor-Leste celebrates Popular Consultation Day 1999. It commemorates an event of historical importance: when the people of Timor-Leste were finally given the chance to vote on their future, with a strong majority – 78.5 percent of voters – choosing independence from Indonesia.

Alison Bevege, Sydney – Thousands of people turned out on Friday night to celebrate East Timor's independence on the 20th anniversary of the 1999 referendum that led to the end of Indonesian occupation.

Fireworks, music and song erupted at Tasi Tolu outside Dili, where the crowd sang the national anthem "Patria" which means "Fatherland", ABC News reported on Saturday.

Paul Daley – Australia's precise role in bringing independence to Timor-Leste two decades ago continues to simmer as unsettled business at the heart of modern Australian diplomatic and military history.

Ivo Mateus Goncalves, Canberra – Today, the people of Timor-Leste will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the popular consultation, through which the nation restored the independence it had prematurely declared in 1975.

Damien Kingsbury – In the weeks before Timor-Leste's historic vote for independence in 1999, there was a sense the horror and misery of the 24 years of Indonesian occupation were coming to an end.

Perth's Colleen Thornton-Ward and Murray Thornton were on the ground as East Timor struggled for independence in 1999. The memories of that year are still fresh in their minds.

Ha Noi – Timor Leste always appreciates the support from Viet Nam for his country during the war time and in the past 20 years, Prime Minister of Timor Leste Taur Matan Ruak told the special envoy of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyan Minh Hung.

Ali MC, Dili, East Timor – It's a Saturday morning in downtown Dili, the bustling port city and capital of one of the youngest nations in the world, East Timor.

In the central park, a broad catalogue of books is on display, including socialist texts, biographies on Marx and Lenin, key books on East Timor and novels.

Canberra – Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a "maritime security package" for Timor-Leste including a revamped military base, Xinhua news agency reported, quoting local media.

Australia will not compensate East Timor for an alleged $5 billion in gas revenue it collected during a previous treaty signed after it spied on the country by bugging its offices.

Australian and East Timor signed a new maritime boundary treaty in Dili on Friday giving the latter a far greater share of gas royalties.

James Massola, Dili – Prime Minister Scott Morrison has dismissed calls for the Australian government to drop the prosecution of whistleblowers Bernard Collaery and Witness K.

Mr Morrison was asked about the cases during a trip to East Timor where he finalised a long-awaited revenue-sharing agreement for the Greater Sunrise oil and gas fields.

Anthony Stewart and Erwin Renaldi – Kuon Nhen Lay had just joined the resistance movement against Indonesia's invasion of Timor-Leste in December 1975, when his wife went into labour the next day.

The then 34-year-old guerilla fighter was forced to keep a low profile to protect his family, and soon sent his wife and newly-born to Australia while he stayed behind to fight.

Helen Davidson – An "infuriated" Alexander Downer tried to get US officials to back up his response to leaks revealing Australia rejected a US request to join a peacekeeping force in East Timor, documents show.

Paul Karp – Counsel for the former spy Witness K has launched a broadside at Legal Aid ACT, accusing it of an "extraordinary unexplained roadblock" in approving funding for the whistleblower's case.

James Massola, Dili – The Morrison government will throw East Timor a digital lifeline and spend millions to fund the laying of a first sub-sea fibre optic cable connection to the tiny island nation.

Anne Barker – Newly published intelligence documents, declassified by the US, shed new light on the turbulent events surrounding the 1999 independence referendum in Timor Leste, when Indonesian-backed militia gangs went on a murderous rampage across the country.

David Fickling – Given a sad history of exploitation by foreigners, the young democracy of Timor-Leste can hardly be blamed for being hell-bent on self-sufficiency. But its current drive to cement its independence risks squandering the faltering progress the country has made. If the government doesn't tread carefully, a future of debt peonage to China beckons.

Rod McGuirk – A former Australian spy charged with conspiring to reveal classified information about an allegation that Australia bugged East Timor's government during negotiations over the sharing of billions of dollars in oil and gas had been denied legal aid and might not be able to adequately fund his case, his lawyer told a court on Thursday.

Timor-Leste's Nobel Peace Prize-winning former Prime Minister Jose Ramos-Horta says Australia "should get over it" and drop charges against two whistleblowers who revealed covert spying.

James Massola, Dili – Senior figures from the East Timorese government and opposition say they would welcome Chinese investment in the huge Tasi Mane infrastructure project, which includes development of the $50 billion Greater Sunrise oil and gas field.

Anthony Whealy – The prosecution of witness K, a former intelligence agent, and his lawyer Bernard Collaery has raised considerable outrage.

Helen Davidson – The US government knew for months that Indonesia's military was supporting and arming militias in East Timor in the lead-up to the 1999 independence referendum but continued to push for stronger military ties, declassified documents have revealed.

James Massola, Dili – Some of East Timor's most respected political leaders are demanding the Morrison government drop the prosecution of Australian whistleblowers Bernard Collaery and former spy Witness K, as the Prime Minister prepares to land in East Timor on Friday.

Sara Niner – On August 30, Timor-Leste will celebrate the referendum that gave it independence from Indonesia. For the people of this small island, it has been a long battle – one that continues today. You can read our companion story on the island nation's vexed relationship with Australia here.

Steve Cannane, ABC Investigations and Peter Cronau – The former prime minister of Timor Leste, Xanana Gusmao, says he wants to travel to Canberra to give evidence in court on behalf of former spy Witness K and lawyer Bernard Collaery if their prosecution continues.

Michael Leach – On August 30, Timor-Leste will celebrate the referendum that gave it independence from Indonesia. For the people of this small island, it has been a long battle – and one that continues today. You can read our companion story on the island nation's struggle for independence here.

Laurentina Barreto Soares, Melbourne – This month, Timor-Leste is in a festive mood, celebrating the 20th anniversary of its independence referendum.

On Aug 30, 1999, the people of Timor-Leste cast their ballots in a United Nations – administered popular consultation to determine the fate of the country, with 78.5 per cent voting to separate from Indonesia.

The former president of East Timor wants to give evidence on behalf of two Australians charged with sharing secret information.

Xanana Gusmao has warned his evidence is likely to embarrass the Australian government, renewing calls for Canberra to drop the prosecutions instead.

Hannah Sinclair – Two decades on from the historic referendum in Southeast Asia – which saw at least 1,400 people lose their lives and Australia forced to step in – SBS News meets an activist, a diplomat and a journalist who witnessed the crisis unfold.

The activist: Abel Guterres was in danger, fighting for independence

Randy Mulyanto and Meaghan Tobin – Sceptics of East Timor's relations with China should know it is not a "new, fragile country" that can be easily swayed by others, its foreign minister said, citing how the nation handled its border dispute with larger neighbour Australia.

A lawyer at the centre of a diplomatically sensitive bugging scandal involving Australia and East Timor has returned to court.

Bernard Collaery appeared before the ACT Supreme Court on Thursday for the last in a series of preliminary hearings.

Paulina Quintao – The General Director for Water and Sanitation (DNSA), Gustavo da Cruz said there is no legal basis to control the consumption of ground water, and that water production enterprises in the country produce gallons and small bottles of drinking water from ground water resources.

The Pro-Rector for Cooperation at the National University of Timor Lorosa'e (UNTL), Eduardo Aniceto Serrao said the university has established a good cooperation with Cuba, to support teachers and to prepare youths in the medical sector and equip them with high ability to respond with quality of care to people's needs.

Paulina Quintao – The Minister of Justice (MJ), Manuel Carceres da Costa said a specific law on adoption for Timor-Leste has not been established, but that parts of the civil code contain articles that can be used by the courts to decide on an adoption case.

Paulina Quintao – The National Director for Integrated Gender Political Approach and Women's Capacity at the Secretariat of State for Equality and Inclusion (SEII), Maria Filomena Babo Martins said the government has established an inter-ministerial commission to implement the national action plan for Gender Based-Violence (GBV), that will guarantee society is free from discriminat

Paulina Quintao – Member of the Commission D (Economic and Development issues) of the National Parliament, MP Mariano Assanami Sabino said the banking system in Timor-Leste is too weak, and he is concerned because international tourists cannot withdraw their money at the local banks.

Paulina Quintao – The President of the Women's Business Association in Timor-Leste (AMETL), Hergui Luina Fernandes said the government needs to create infrastructure with good conditions, including a laboratory, to grant certificates to livestock products and to facilitate organic certification so the private sector can export these products overseas.

Paulina Quintao – Farmers' groups urged the National Parliament to create a law to control and regulate the importing and the use of chemical pesticides in Timor-Leste to safeguard people's health.

Dian Kurniati, Jakarta – The Presidential Palace invited 55 members of the Nanggala Team to the commemoration of the 74th anniversary of Indonesia's proclamation of Independence at the Presidential Palace on Saturday August 17.