Balibo – Thousands of pro-Indonesian East Timorese vowed Friday to defend the troubled territory's integration with Indonesia.

"Integration for us is an independence that will lead the East Timor people to prosperity," said a declaration issued during the rally in Balibo, a town near Bobonaro, which is 165 kilometers west of the provincial capital of Dili.

About 10,000 East Timorese, including veterans and young people, attended the demonstration held near Integration Monument, the site where pro-Indonesian leaders signed a declaration to join Indonesia in 1975.

Indonesia invaded East Timor that year and formally annexed it in 1976, but the United Nations still considers Portugal the official administering power of the former Portuguese colony.

"We, the veterans, supporters of integration, local figures and [the] young generation in Bobonaro, vowed to support the integration until the last drop of blood," said the declaration, which was read out loud by Francisco Soares Pereira, a youth leader. Hundreds of security personnel stood watch during the rally, which ended peacefully.

The demonstrators expressed support for an Indonesian offer to grant greater autonomy to East Timor, but strongly opposed holding a referendum on the future of the troubled territory which could lead to independence.

Jakarta has recently offered to consider independence for East Timor if its people reject the autonomy proposal. Those in attendance at the rally urged Indonesia not to abandon East Timor in order to prevent a new civil war from flaring up.