Conflict, Aus national interest, Aus involvement.

1. East Timor
Azita and Selina

2. East Timor
 Mountainous island 430 km west of Darwin
 Capital city – Dili
 Official languages – Tetum and Portuguese
 Working languages – Indonesian and English
 At beginning, West Timor occupied by Dutch and
East Timor by Portuguese
 Later annexed by Indonesia
 Voted for independence in 1999
 Gained independence in 2002

4. Conflicts in East Timor

5. Conflicts in East Timor
 Civil war between Fretilin and
UDT, August 1975
 Operasi Seroja, December 1975
 Santa Cruz massacre, 1991
 Indonesian campaign of terror, 1999
 Dili crisis, 2006

6. Civil war

7. Civil war
August 1975
 Secret Indonesian propaganda campaign Operasi
Komodo divides supporters of UDT and Fretilin
 UDT fears coup from Fretilin and stages own in
Dili
 Fretilin overcomes UDT’s attempt to push away
Fretilin supporters
 Fretilin declares independence of East Timor on
28th November 1975
 Indonesia responds with “Balibo Declaration”, for
unity of Indonesia and East Timor

8. Operasi Seroja

9. Operasi Seroja
December 1975
 Began 7th December, 1975
 Largest military operation carried out by Indonesia
 Political instability and fight against communism used
as excuses to invade
 Indonesian troops shoot East Timorese in cities, loot
houses and rape women and girls
 2000 people killed in Dili in first week
 Many more put to death
 East Timor made Indonesia’s 27th province
 Annexation unrecognised by UN

10. Santa Cruz massacre

11. Santa Cruz massacre
November 1991
 Independence supporter Sebastião Gomes is shot by
Indonesian troops
 East Timorese hold peaceful protest on the way to
Gomes’ memorial service on 12th November
 Indonesian troops open fire on mourners as they enter
the cemetery
 Cemetery is sealed off and injured East Timorese are
left to die
 Journalists witness and capture footage of massacre
and smuggle it to Australia
 Indonesian authorities pass shootings off as a
“misunderstanding” while politicians and officials justify
violence

13. Indonesian campaign of terror

15. Indonesian campaign of terror
1999
 East Timorese are permitted to vote between autonomy
and independence
 Almost all eligible voters vote in referendum
 Majority vote on independence (78.5%)
 Militia supported by Indonesia rampage through East
Timor
 INTERFET is established
 Australia leads international intervention force to stop
killings
 Indonesia withdraws troops and allows intervention
force to stabilise conditions

16. Dili crisis

17. Dili crisis
2006
 East Timorese troops from the West complain of discrimination
using a petition
 Almost 600 soldiers desert barracks
 Deserters refuse to obey order to return to army
 Petitioners relieved of duty
 Peaceful demonstration held in Dili by former soldiers and
supporters
 Protest becomes violent and continues
 FDTL arrive and shoot civilians in crowd while fighting rebels
 Major Alfredo Reinado and followers desert FDTL in protest of
“deliberate murder of civilians”
 Government promises to compensate former soldiers with
wages
 Majority of rebels surrender

18. Australia’s involvement in East
Timor

19. Australia’s involvement in East
Timor
 Did not recognise Fretilin’s declaration of independence
in 1975
 Did not oppose idea of annexation of East Timor in
1975
 Did not attempt to intervene in invasion in 1975
 Attempted to confiscate footage of Santa Cruz
massacre
 Howard government changed position from no support
of East Timorese self-determination
 Troops led international intervention force in 1999 to
stop killings
 Helped to create good conditions for East Timor to gain
independence

20. Australia’s involvement in East
Timor cont.
 Committed 5500 troops to and led INTERFET
 Public approved of support of East Timor
 Convinced Thailand, Singapore, Philippines and Malaysia to
join INTERFET
 Had 440 troops stay in East Timor with UN peacekeeping
force in 2004
 Led ISF to stabilise situation in Dili’s 2006 crisis
 Soldiers and police trained East Timor’s army and police
force
 Supported (as ISF) but was not part of UN Integrated
Mission in Timor-Leste
 Currently has troops stationed in Dili for “as long as is
necessary”
 Gave $123.7 million for aid in 2011-2012

21. Importance of East Timor’s
stability to Australia

22. Importance of East Timor’s
stability to Australia
 Conflicts in East Timor require more Australian
troops and funding to respond
 Could also potentially mean more loss of
Australian lives
 Instability could increase number of migrants
 Support of East Timor in conflict might harm
relations with Indonesia
 Fragility of law and government means it could
become a base for transnational crime and
terrorism

23. The end