Unrest in East Timor in 2006

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Location of East Timor

The riots in East Timor in 2006 sparked off protests from soldiers from the west of the country. In addition to the clashes between mutinous soldiers, police officers and the army, there were ethnically motivated fights between rival, criminal youth gangs . In the state capital Dili in particular there were murders and looting, which is why several states sent a total of over 3,000 soldiers to East Timor to restore public order. As a result of the unrest, Prime Minister Marí Alkatiri resigned under public pressure. After the country continued to fail, the United Nations sent a new UN police mission to East Timor.

backgrounds

Economic problems

East Timor was the poorest country in Asia in 2006 and was completely dependent on foreign aid. 45% of the people lived below the poverty line . With an average daily earnings of less than three euros and an unemployment rate of 40% in the rural region, East Timor and Rwanda shared 158th place on a UN development index, in which 185 countries are listed. According to a study by the UN, only 30% of young people between the ages of 13 and 15 even went to school. Economic growth was slow and the ruling politicians were criticized. The riches from the gas and oil reserves could not yet be exploited to fill the empty state coffers. As a result, over a longer period of time, the resentment among the population about the failure to improve the general standard of living had grown.

Cultural division of the country

The cultural regions of East Timor: Loro Munu (white) and Loro Sae (red).

The unrest of 2006, despite the strong national movement that created the country, re-emerged the division of the country into an east and a west, which has existed since the colonial days and which has a significant impact on everyday life in East Timor. The western population from Loro Munu is called Kaladi , the eastern one from Loro Sae is called Firaku .

In their collective consciousness, the Firaku, from whose ranks important East Timorese military figures and President Xanana Gusmão come , see themselves in the role of "liberators" from the Indonesian occupation (1975-1999). The Firaku accuse the Kaladi of sympathizing with the Indonesian occupation forces. Many of the police officers who recruited the Indonesians were Kaladi. The UN and independent East Timor took over most of these police officers, which resulted in the simmering conflict between the PNTL police and the military. As a melting pot of the country's various ethnic groups and groups, Dili has been the scene of regular street fighting between gangs from the east and the west.

Prime Minister Alkatiri and President Gusmão

Marí Bin Amude Alkatiri
Xanana Gusmão

The then Prime Minister Marí Bin Amude Alkatiri is Muslim , which brought back memories of the earlier Indonesian- Muslim rule in large parts of the predominantly Catholic population . Alkatiri was descended from Yemeni immigrants. During the occupation (1975–1999) he lived in exile in socialist Mozambique . Critics accused him of not taking part in the fight against the occupiers. It was also assumed that this was the motivation for Alkatiri's left-wing and anti-Western politics. Both militarily and economically, he strengthened cooperation with the People's Republic of China and the left-wing states of South America . So he was in conflict with the liberal center President Xanana Gusmão , even though both belonged to the ruling party FRETILIN . Alkatiri had the reputation of a cold technocrat, while Gusmão was revered as a folk hero. Alkatiri was mainly supported by the police, while large parts of the East Timorese Defense Forces (F-FDTL), mostly former fighters of the FALINTIL guerrilla army who had resisted the Indonesians, were loyal to Gusmão.

Trigger of the unrest

On January 11, 2006, President Gusmão received a petition from soldiers of the 1st Battalion of the F-FDTL complaining about poor working conditions and promotion regulations that would disadvantage residents of the western part of East Timor. On February 8, 2006, over 400 soldiers marched into the capital and demanded the dismissal of the commander of the 1st Battalion Colonel Falur because of the discrimination . President Xanana Gusmão initially succeeded in persuading the soldiers to return to the barracks, but then 404 of the approximately 1,600 soldiers of the F-FDTL deserted and camped in Aileu . Another 177 soldiers joined them on February 25. The leader of the group was Lieutenant Gastão Salsinha . Prime Minister Alkatiri was accused of favoring Firaku from the east of the country for promotions. On February 14, the now 591 men were officially dismissed from service by Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak while President Gusmão was on a trip to Africa. In March the soldiers refused a call to return to the barracks. Some police officers later joined the soldiers. Prime Minister Alkatiri then released the deserters from the armed forces.

Foreign Minister José Ramos-Horta announced at the beginning of April that a committee would be set up to hear complaints from former soldiers. He stressed that "they could not return to the army". “Exceptions” should, however, be decided “on a case-by-case basis” if the “responsibility of each individual in this incident has been clarified”.

Outbreak of violence

Conflict zones in Dili, October 24, 2006

On April 24, the former soldiers demonstrated with civilian supporters, mostly unemployed youth, in the streets of Dili. A total of 3,000 people protested against the dismissal of the soldiers and called for Alkatiri's resignation. The originally peaceful protest turned into violence when the soldiers attacked a market run by Firaku . The protests continued until April 28, when the deserters clashed with the F-FDTL, who shot into the crowd. In the riots that followed, five officially died, more than 100 houses were burned down and around 21,000 Dilis residents fled the city. Salsinha later claimed that soldiers loyal to Alkatiri killed 60 civilians in the fighting. This number is not confirmed or listed in any other source.

On May 4, Major Alfredo Alves Reinado deserted along with 20 Australian-trained military policemen, four policemen and two trucks full of weapons and ammunition. The former chief of the navy from the west of the country joined the rebels and set up his headquarters in Aileu, southwest of Dili. Here his people controlled the mountain road. Reinado called on President Xanana Gusmão to dismiss Prime Minister Alkatiri and bring him to justice. Reinado claims that on April 28, Alkatiri ordered the unarmed demonstrators to be shot. As a military policeman, Reinado accompanied Colonel Lere Anan Timor , Brigadier General Taur Ruak's chief of staff, to a meeting with Alkatiri. Then the colonel said that he had already received the order to deploy. If Alkatiri were not released, Reinado threatened civil war. However, Reinado described himself as loyal to President Xanana Gusmão.

On the evening of May 5, the former soldiers, led by Lieutenant Salsinha, issued a statement demanding that President Gusmão dismiss Alkatiri and disband the F-FDTL within 48 hours. Salsinha had previously answered an attempt to contact Gusmão with the words that it was now "too late". Panic broke out among the residents of Dili. 75% of the population fled to the nearby mountains when rumors of new fighting spread - mostly via SMS. However, this did not materialize at first. The government called for calm and the refugees began returning to the city a few days later. “Democracy in our country is still young,” said Foreign Minister José Ramos-Horta, “people react fearfully to events”. Foreign embassies issued security warnings and withdrew their staff. Prime Minister Alkatiri announced the investigation into allegations of the deserters and made them an offer to pay them back salaries retrospectively from March if they would give in. On May 8, a police officer was killed when about 1,000 people stormed the office of a regional secretary of state outside of Dilis.

On May 11, Foreign Minister Ramos-Horta claimed that Fernando de Araújo , the leader of the Partido Democrático, had fueled the unrest. Ramos-Horta warned the other parties not to use the violence to win votes in the next elections in 2007. "All parties should know that those who sow disagreement, fear or threaten people will not be elected by them in the 2007 election."

The violence escalated again in mid-May. For several weeks, the rebels fought fierce firefights with F-FDTL troops in the hills near the capital. This claimed many dead and injured. Major Reinado carried out several attacks on the capital Dili. On May 23, one F-FDTL soldier was killed and six others injured. On May 24, mutineers raided General Taur Matan Ruak's private home. There was an exchange of fire. Reinado, Salsinha and MP Leandro Isaac are said to have been involved in the attack .

On May 25, at least eight police officers were shot dead by mutinous soldiers and 25 other people were injured. The population fled to churches and refugee camps outside the city. One church alone took 7,000 refugees. In addition, looting gangs in Dili and erupting ethnic conflicts made the situation more difficult.

First reactions from the world community

Foreign Minister Ramos-Horta formally called the governments of Australia , New Zealand , Portugal and Malaysia for military assistance on May 24th . With Operation Astute , several states responded to East Timor's request for military aid. Under the leadership of Brigadier Michael Slater of the Australian 3rd Brigade ( Australian Defense Force ), four countries were initially involved in the International Stabilization Force ISF .

Australia

Australian ISF troops land in Comoro

Although there has not yet been an official request from the East Timorese government, Australian Prime Minister John Howard said on May 12 that Australian forces were standing by for assistance with the landing ships HMAS Kanimbla (L-51) and HMAS Manoora (L-52) . On May 24, Australian Deputy Prime Minister Peter Costello announced that Australian troops were on their way to East Timor. On the afternoon of May 25th, seven Black Hawk helicopters and a C130 Hercules transport aircraft landed at Dili 's Presidente Nicolau Lobato Airport to secure it. Australia dispatched 1,000 to 1,300 infantry soldiers on three warships ( HMAS Manoora (L-52) , HMAS Kanimbla (L-51) and HMAS Tobruk ). A total of over 2,000 Australian soldiers were deployed. Armored vehicles were also part of the equipment.

On May 29, John Howard defended the East Timor mission as follows:

“We cannot accept a situation - worldwide, but especially in our own neighborhood - in which Australia is admonished to respect the independence of a country if, on the one hand, it is claimed that we are behaving in a patronizing manner by expressing our views or intervening try, on the other hand, we are criticized for not having intervened as soon as something goes wrong. "

Malaysia

Malaysia was the first ASEAN country to participate in the operation. It dispatched 219 paratroopers and army commandos from the 10th Paratroopers Brigade based in Terendak Camp , Melaka , plus a special unit from Mersing Camp , Johor . Colonel Ismeth Nayan Ismail was in command. In addition to the 275 military personnel, there were 250 police officers. On June 23, 333 police officers and soldiers from Malaysia were stationed in East Timor.

Two ships of the Malaysian Navy reached Dili on June 3rd: the KD Mahawangsa and the KD Inderasakti . They brought equipment for the Malaysian forces, including armored vehicles. After the Malaysians arrived, they secured the embassies, the port, power stations, the oil depot and hospitals. The diplomatic enclave had the highest priority. President Gusmão had previously asked Malaysia to secure the border with Indonesia . Civilians should be prevented from fleeing the country. Malaysia refused.

The security forces from Malaysia were instructed in the East Timorese national language Tetum . Malaysian police officers had been involved in training the East Timorese police four years earlier.

New Zealand

New Zealand patrol in East Timor

On May 26, New Zealand dispatched 42 soldiers. A second contingent with a further 120 men left Christchurch a day later for East Timor via Townsville . According to Clark, the troops should be deployed where the Australian command needs them.

Portugal and European Union

The Portuguese Foreign Minister Diogo Freitas do Amaral announced on May 24th that 120 men from the Republican National Guard (GNR) would be deployed . They were to join eight senior officers in the Portuguese National Police's Special Operations Group. The Portuguese Air Force began evacuating more than 600 Portuguese citizens from East Timor.

On June 9, the European Union granted East Timor a grant of 18 million euros. The funds were approved by the EU Commission for two years and were intended for development projects in rural areas and to stabilize state institutions. The EU had previously planned financial aid of 63 million euros for the period from 2008 to 2013. EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso said that East Timor had the “full support and solidarity” of the EU.

United Nations

The United Nations peacekeeping forces left East Timor on May 20, 2005 after six years. Only a few administrative officials and UN police from the United Nations Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL) remained, who were originally supposed to leave the country on May 20, 2006. On May 11, however, her withdrawal was postponed to June. The decision followed a request by Foreign Minister Ramos-Horta to the High Commissioner for Human Rights . The UN was supposed to investigate human rights violations by East Timorese police that Human Rights Watch and the United States Department of State allegedly observed.

After the outbreak of unrest on May 25, UNOTIL opened a refugee camp for 1,000 people outside of Dilis. But when the violence escalated on May 27, the UN announced the withdrawal of the majority of its employees.

On June 20, the UN Security Council decided with resolution 1690 to send a peacekeeping force to East Timor again, which should replace the foreign troops by August 20. The deadline was then extended by another five days by resolution 1703 .

It was not until August 25 that the United Nations agreed on a mission in East Timor with 1,600 police officers and 34 military advisers. The UNMIT (UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste) was supposed to restore security according to resolution 1704 , help with economic development and support the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections in 2007 .

Power struggle between prime minister and president

The hopes that calm would return when the foreign troops arrived were not fulfilled. The violence in Dili and other parts of East Timor continued unchecked in late May 2006. Gangs from different parts of the country fought in the streets of Dili with knives, machetes and slingshots. Cars and houses were set on fire and three Timorese were murdered. More and more Dilis residents fled their homes and gathered in churches, the Australian embassy and at the airport. Clashes between looters and Australian forces broke out as soldiers tried to get civilians to safety. According to an Australian major, the looters used cell phones to coordinate their attacks. A UN official said the ethnic conflict that was raging in the East Timorese army is now spreading to the civilian population. “It is now the time of accounting between the different groups.” One Catholic priest described the violence on the streets as “... the east against the west, soldiers against soldiers, police against soldiers, everyone against everyone. .. It is total madness. ”The Australian Defense Minister Brendan Nelson demanded that East Timor extend the rights of the international reaction force and, for example, give it police authority to fight the gangs. Australian Prime Minister John Howard rejected criticism of his troops for not securing Dili quickly enough. Howard called the crisis more dangerous than the 1999 riots.

On May 29 and 30, President Gusmão met with the East Timorese Council of State for crisis talks. The State Council is an advisory body to the President that can transfer the power to dissolve the National Parliament to him. Here Gusmão and Alkatiri met again for the first time since the escalation of violence a week ago. Also present were Foreign Minister Ramos-Horta, the Bishop of Dili Alberto Ricardo da Silva , the UNOTIL representative Sukehiro Hasegawa and Ian Martin , the personal representative of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan . Ian Martin was previously the UN Representative in East Timor during the preparation of the 1999 independence referendum.

On the first day, Gusmão interrupted the afternoon meeting when a crowd gathered outside demonstrating for Gusmão / Ramos-Horta and against Alkatiri. Gusmão called on the demonstrators to lay down their arms and return home. He said, "If you, West and East, trust me, then hug each other in your home, stay calm and help each other stay calm."

The government palace in Dili. Prime Minister's seat

After the State Council meeting and an emergency cabinet meeting, Gusmão declared a national emergency for at least 30 days and assumed sole supreme command of the police and armed forces. He now wants to personally coordinate the cooperation with the international armed forces and, in order to fight the criminal gangs, give them and his own army police power. Gusmão said this decision was made in close consultation with Alkatiri, although government officials such as Foreign Minister Ramos-Horta made Alkatiri directly responsible for the crisis. Gusmão called for calm in a desperate appeal. Prime Minister Alkatiri opposed the takeover and stressed that defense and internal security are still the government's responsibility. Observers spoke of a power struggle between the president and prime minister. Hundreds of demonstrators have now called for the Prime Minister to resign. On the night of May 31, gangs burned Dili market and other houses.

On June 1, the Alkatiri confidants, Interior Minister Rogerio Lobato and Defense Minister Roque Rodrigues resigned. Lobato blamed opponents of the government who would resort to violence instead of political means for the crisis. Foreign Minister Ramos-Horta immediately took over the Ministry of Defense . Alcino Baris became the new interior minister . Meanwhile, anti-Alkatiri demonstrations, looting and street fighting continued.

Allegations against Alkatiri and ultimatum

Destruction along Canal Road in Dili

On June 8, allegations were made against ex-Interior Minister Rogerio Lobato that he had armed civilians on behalf of Alkatiri in order to take action against political opponents. The Australian ABC television reported that the group consisted of 30 persons charged with assault rifles were equipped, ammunition, two vehicles and uniforms. The commander of this militia, Colonel Railos , said they were assigned to kill all rebel soldiers. However, after losing five men in combat in Dili, they realized that arming civilians would lead to bloodshed and death on both sides. So the men wanted to submit to President Gusmão. Alkatiri vigorously denied that the government had armed civilians. Foreign Minister Ramos-Horta also called these allegations "difficult to believe". The original leader of the rebels, Lieutenant Gastão Salsinha, reiterated Colonel Railo's allegations on June 9th. Salsinha said Lobato distributed 200 assault rifles to civilians that were stolen from police stocks.

Australian ISF soldiers protect firefighters (June 4, 2006)

While the situation in Dili calmed down on 9 June due to the international troops, further unrest broke out in Maubisse on 11 June 2006. The place was considered a stronghold of the rebellious soldiers released from the armed forces. Hundreds of people were demonstrating in the streets when a man was stabbed in an unexplained manner. As a result, two rival groups of demonstrators began fighting in the street. Police officers fired into the air and threatened to use a grenade. At the same time, shots rang out in the crowd, so that the demonstrators finally fled in a panic.

On June 16, the rebels, including Alfredo Reinado and Augusto Tara de Araújo , handed over their M16 rifles and other weapons after a week of negotiations in camps near Gleno and Maubisse. The condition was that the international troops guarantee their security.

On June 21, the power struggle finally escalated. President Gusmão threatened to resign if Prime Minister Alkatiri did not resign by June 27th. Gusmão justified the demand with the accusation that Alkatiri had sent death squads on political opponents. Gusmão referred to the report by the Australian television broadcaster ABC, which accused Alkatiri of being involved in the distribution of weapons to civilians.

An arrest warrant was issued against the former interior minister and confidante of Alkatiris, Rogerio Lobato. He was placed under house arrest. Lobato's lawyers later accused Australia of military violations of Lobatos human rights. He was forcibly detained at his home by Australian soldiers without an arrest warrant. As of January 9, 2007, Lobato was on trial on charges of setting up a militia. Prosecutor General Longuinhos Monteiro stressed that there was no evidence against Alkatiri. It later became known that the Chief Police Officer of East Timor, Paulo Martins , had informed Alkatiri that the Interior Minister had been arming the civilians. According to the public prosecutor's office, this is also documented by evidence, but Alkatiri cannot be criticized for this. Monteiro warned Colonel Railos that he and his militia faced further penalties for possession of illegal weapons.

ISF soldiers check protesters before entering Dili (June 29, 2006)

On June 25, Foreign Minister and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate José Ramos-Horta, Minister for Transport and Communications Ovídio Amaral and Deputy Health Minister Luís Maria Lobato resigned from all political offices. In doing so, they protested against the decision of FRETILIN to hold onto Prime Minister Alkatiri. A day later, Alkatiri gave up, took responsibility for the unrest and announced his resignation. Allegedly another seven members of his government had previously threatened to resign. There were expressions of joy on the streets of Dili. Hundreds celebrated with horn concerts and truck convoys. It was again called for Alkatiri to be brought to justice on the basis of the allegations regarding the death squads. President Gusmão immediately accepted the resignation. On February 6, 2007, Attorney General Monteiro finally closed the investigation into Alkatiri for lack of evidence.

Bishop da Silva welcomed Alkatiri's resignation as did the Australian government. But the demonstrators have meanwhile also called for parliament to be dissolved. Houses were still being burned down. A Swiss priest reported that many people were now getting married. In his parish church there would be mass weddings instead of up to 80 couples at once. He gave two reasons: “Firstly, now is an opportunity to do without a costly party without being ashamed, and secondly, many couples who have lived together for a long time are afraid they might perish in a civil war without it to receive the sacraments beforehand. "

At this point in time, at least 37 people had been killed in the unrest and 155,000 were on the run.

Ramos-Horta becomes the new Prime Minister

José Ramos-Horta

The desired successor of the Western governments and President Gusmãos for the office of Alkatiris was from the beginning the popular José Ramos-Horta as premier of a transitional government of national unity . As a successor, however, the ex-wife Ramos-Hortas, Alkatiri confidante Minister of State Anna Pessoa, was traded within FRETILIN . An East Timor expert from the human rights organization Watch Indonesia! said: "Pessoa would not be a real change." Of three other ministers who were traded as potential candidates, only Agriculture Minister Estanislau da Silva remained as the third candidate. The East Timorese ambassador to the UN and the USA José Luís Guterres had already turned down a candidacy. Finally, on July 8th, following talks between President Gusmão and FRETILIN, José Ramos-Horta was appointed as the new Prime Minister. Former candidates Estanislau da Silva and Minister of Health Rui Maria de Araújo became deputies.

The new cabinet consisted of 15 ministers. Ten of them were already represented in the previous government. Ambassador José Luís Guterres became the new Foreign Minister, while Prime Minister Ramos-Horta retained the post of Defense Minister. The previous Secretary of State for Investment, Tourism and Environment José Teixeira , as Minister for Natural Resources, was now also responsible for oil and gas reserves. He was considered an ally of the former Prime Minister Alkatiri. Other new ministers were Arcanjo da Silva (Development), Inácio Moreira (Transport and Communication) and Rosária Corte-Real (Education and Culture).

At first there was tense calm in Dili. Ramos-Horta was accepted on all sides. Refugees slowly returned to their homeland. However, 100,000 people lived in the mass tent camps provided by the government because their houses were destroyed. The number of houses burned down ran into the thousands. Coffee growers complained that about 20% of the coffee harvest was lost due to the unrest, which was a huge loss for East Timor. The fruit could not be harvested and has rotted on the ground.

On July 18, Australian Prime Minister John Howard visited East Timor. When meeting Ramos-Horta, Howard announced a gradual reduction in Australian troops. Just one day later, the Australian warship Kanimbla left East Timor for home. On board were 250 soldiers and the four Blackhawk helicopters. Up to 2,000 Australian soldiers were to stay in East Timor. Meanwhile, preparations were being made with the UN for a long-term police mission.

On July 20, Ex-Prime Minister Alkatiri was questioned by Public Prosecutor Longuinhos Monteiro about allegations that he had armed civilians. Monteiro then stated that Alkatiri was considered a suspect and would not be allowed to leave the capital for the next 15 days.

On the night of July 25th, Alfredo Reinado and 21 of his men were arrested by Australian soldiers in Dili. The day before the amnesty for gun possession had expired. Forbidden handguns and ammunition were seized from those arrested. Reinado was brought before an East Timorese court on July 27. He now faces a five-year prison sentence for murder and theft of military property. Thirteen more of his men were also charged with various offenses. The others were released.

On July 26, it was reported that Thailand and the Philippines might also be sending police officers to East Timor to restore order. This was beneficial to the Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer , who said during his visit to Malaysia that Australia only wanted to keep its troops in East Timor as long as necessary. Soon the number of Australian soldiers should be reduced.

Fighting flared up again

An Australian helicopter lands on the USNS Mercy hospital ship off the coast of Dilis

The weekend of August 6th and 7th saw serious incidents for the first time after Ramos-Horta took office as Prime Minister. In total, international police arrested 40 young men. Some had thrown stones or fought with machetes, metal poles and slingshots. 19 men were captured near the airport while planning an attack on a refugee camp. Shouting “Kill all Firaku”, a gang stormed into a church with refugees. Some gang members are said to have been supporters of the arrested Alfredo Reinado, others were Kaladis, who wanted to drive the Firakus out of the city. On the previous Friday, gangs with a hundred people should have appeared in various locations in Dilis. Police dispersed youths throwing stones in Comoro and near the Australian embassy.

Between August 18 and 21, young people set fire to several houses in Comoro again. While witnesses spoke to up to a hundred houses and 1,500 rioters, international police officials said only six houses were on fire. Molotov cocktails were also thrown into a refugee camp. 25 people were arrested by the international police. In total, the international police have arrested 268 people since they were set up in May. A total of seven Australian police officers and one Malaysian soldier were slightly injured on August 21 and 22.

Xanana Gusmão visits injured people on the USNS Mercy

On August 30, rebel leader Reinado managed to escape from Becora prison . On a videotape he told the Reuters news agency that he had fled because he did not trust the justice system in Dili. But he wants to take responsibility for his actions as soon as the judiciary has developed. A total of 57 prisoners simply ran out of the gate of the prison in Becora . They threatened the guards with lawn shears, who then opened the doors. They then used the visiting hours to escape from prison. 148 other prisoners in Becora had not escaped. Prime Minister Ramos-Horta blamed Australia for the outbreak after multiple requests for Australian troops to guard the prison were not met. Australia denied the allegations. Reinado later threatened to shoot soldiers from the international force. He would defend himself and refuse to give up.

Malaysia nevertheless withdrew its soldiers from East Timor on August 31, while New Zealand reduced the number. Most recently there were 200 soldiers and 25 police officers in East Timor. The Malaysian soldiers could return as part of a UN peacekeeping force, said Lt. Gene. Sharon bin Haji Ibrahim.

At the beginning of September there was again fighting and shootings between gangs in the center of Dilis and in a refugee camp. Four people were killed and at least 13 people injured.

UN mission UNMIT

UNMIT members from the Philippines in East Timor

The new UN mission UNMIT began on September 13th. At a ceremony in the capital Dili, the new UN troops began their work. At that time, UNMIT consisted of 554 police officers. In total, it should ultimately consist of 1,608 police officers and 34 liaison officers. There was no agreement on a military component of the mission because Australia refused to relinquish the leadership of the ISF. After the ceremony, Prime Minister Ramos-Horta announced his resignation if militias and opposition groups continue to violently oppose the government. A few hours after the start of the UN mission, rival gangs fired arrows at each other in the evening near the presidential palace . A 19-year-old was killed. About 60 Portuguese soldiers fired rubber bullets to drive the fighters apart. The next day it was quiet again in Dili.

On September 25, hostile groups again pelted stones near the Comoro market. It followed an incident on September 23rd in which a firaku was beaten up in Lurumata . The victim's family and friends sought vengeance. About a hundred Kaladi families fled Lurumata as a result. The police separated the warring parties. On September 24th, a public administration building in Fatuhada / Dili was set on fire by strangers.

As of September 27, the first 25 Timorese police officers were back on duty. They were looked after by UN police officers (UNPol). On the same day, Prime Minister Ramos-Horta met Gastão Salsinha, the leader of the 600 deserted soldiers in Gleno, the capital of the Ermera district . 100 of the "petitioners", as they are called in the area, stayed here. The prime minister's office said the men had stayed out of any political activity since April. A commission should deal with their complaints and the finance minister is looking for a way to financially support the men who have not been paid since the outbreak of the unrest.

On October 12, Ramos-Horta turned down the UN's offer to replace the Australian-led, multinational force with an official UN military peacekeeping force. Ramos-Horta said the regional force was working very effectively. The UN is overtaxed by its many missions, such as in Lebanon and Afghanistan , which is why East Timor does not want to take advantage of them. Australian Prime Minister Howard said at the meeting with Ramos-Horta that Australia would keep its troops in East Timor until at least the 2007 elections. The current number of 950 soldiers could be reduced. A total of 3,200 soldiers from Australia, Portugal, Malaysia and New Zealand were in East Timor at that time.

At the beginning of June, then Prime Minister Alkatiri agreed to investigations by the United Nations into the causes of the crisis. This was the result of separate negotiations between the UNOTIL representative Sukehiro Hasegawa with Alkatiri and rebel leaders, including Tarak Palasinyar and Reinado. The UN published its report on October 17th. About a hundred people were charged with wrongdoing, including political leaders and security forces. Investigations were even recommended against ex-Prime Minister Alkatiri, former ministers Rogerio Lobato and Roque Rodrigues and the chief of the armed forces Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak. Alkatiri failed to prevent weapons from being distributed to civilians, although he is said to have known about it. Taur Matan Ruak and the ministers are said to have been responsible for the arms distribution. The report concluded that Taur Matan Ruak had failed to prevent the riots. The shooting of unarmed police officers by soldiers could not be blamed on him. The report also accused President Gusmão of errors in negotiations with the rebels. He did not respect the institutional channels. Gusmão was exonerated from the charge that he incited Reinado and his rebels to commit crimes. In connection with the shooting on May 23, rebel chief Reinado and his men were accused of "crimes against life and the person". Reinado justified himself by saying that he had been attacked at the time and had only defended himself. For his part, he accused the International Peacekeeping Force of having so far failed to collect weapons. President Gusmão, on the other hand, welcomed the report as independent and impartial and called on the government to review the report's recommendations. There were no excesses feared by the international troops because of the report. The concern was based on the fact that the East Timorese armed forces were still loyal to the accused Taur Matan Ruak. In addition, Alkatiri remained Secretary General of FRETILIN and led it in the upcoming elections in April 2007. Ramos-Horta said he would continue to stand behind Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak. He has full confidence in Taur Matan Ruak and his leadership abilities.

After fighting near Dili Airport on October 25, it was closed for a day out of concern for the safety of employees. The Australian government warned that the gangs would now target Australian security guards and their vehicles. Anti-Australian slogans like Aussies go home would be shouted .

In October there were a total of twelve dead from gang fighting and over 50 injured. Two Australians and one Chinese national were among those injured. An East Timorese newspaper reported that Australian soldiers were responsible for the deaths of two of the victims. In addition, the Australians are responsible for the renewed flare-up of the fighting. Brigadier General Taur Matan Ruak then asked for a detailed investigation into why the riots were continuing despite the Australian troops. The new commander of the Australian forces in Dili, Brigadier General Mal Rerden , and Premier Howard denied the allegations.

The aftermath and consequences of the unrest

Refugee camp in Balide , Dili 2006
Internally displaced people in the districts due to the unrest

A representative of the East Timorese government reported drug abuse among the rioters. Before the fighting, methamphetamine ( crystal meth ) produced on site would be consumed. The chief of the Australian police in Dili, Australian Federal Police Commander Steve Lancaster , contradicted: alcohol was the bigger problem. The UN had already expressed suspicions three days earlier that the unrest was being organized and that the young rioters were being pumped full of alcohol and other drugs . But who is behind it has yet to be determined.

On November 9, Prime Minister Ramos-Horta said the worst of the violence was over but asked foreign troops to stay in East Timor. At the beginning of 2008, 30,000 people were still living in refugee camps in Dili, compared with a total of 70,000 in the other districts of the country. Since the government stopped food aid for the refugees and offered each returning family US $ 1,500 to US $ 4,500, the number has decreased significantly. Since the end of 2007, the capital's power supply has been working relatively smoothly again.

In November there were serious incidents in Estado ( Ermera district ) and Maubisse , in which seven people died. Involved in this were the Colimau 2000 - an organization founded by former underground youth activists - and the Perguruan Setia Hati Terate (PSHT) Martial Arts Club .

On December 6th, the Indian Atul Khare was appointed by Kofi Annan as the new UN special envoy and head of UNMIT.

During the course of December there were further fatal clashes between the gangs and murders in Dili, in which four people died. With the beginning of Christmas time, however, the situation calmed down. Since then, there have been minor spikes of violence every few months, with individual victims.

On March 7, 2007, ex-minister Rogerio Lobato was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison after a trial. On August 9th, due to problems with the prostate and heart, Attorney General Longuinhos Monteiro gave him permission to fly to Malaysia. This was justified with the right to medical care enshrined in the constitution . With reference to the independence of the judiciary, the government was unable to reverse the decision of the competent court. The justice minister and cousin Rogérios Lúcia Lobato was therefore criticized in public. On August 21st, Rogério Lobato was operated on in Kuala Lumpur . On May 26, 2010, Lobato returned to East Timor. He no longer had to go to prison after his sentence was reduced by pardon.

On May 25, 2007, the newly elected President José Ramos-Horta unveiled a plaque at the Ministry of Justice for each of the eleven police officers killed in the riot . He called the unrest at the time a shame. Each party should look again at what happened then. This is important to prevent something like this from happening again. On November 29, 2007, four soldiers were sentenced to prison terms of between ten and twelve years for the death of the police officers.

On October 4, 2007, Commander Railos was arrested in connection with the establishment of the militia and the ensuing fighting.

ISF soldiers on patrol on bicycles (2009)

In Dili, fighting between various street gangs continued for several months. UNMIT therefore carried out a weapons collection in Dilis Suco Bairro Pite in November 2007, during which bows and arrows, machetes, knives, slingshots, spears and self-made firearms were confiscated. UNMIT called the "Operation Weapons Sweep" a success.

Rebel leader Reinado was still on the run until 2008. He refused to surrender. He threatened to kill Australian soldiers if they tried to arrest him. On November 22nd, the mutinous soldiers held a military parade in Gleno to make it clear that they still felt they were part of the F-FDTL. In doing so, they demanded to be resumed in the defense forces. In front of 500 spectators, Reinado threatened that he would destabilize the nation again and "lead his soldiers down to Dili". On February 11, 2008, Reinado and his men assassinated President Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Gusmão. Ramos-Horta was seriously injured and Gusmão escaped unharmed. Reinado was shot dead in a gun battle. The rebel movement then collapsed over the next few weeks. The members either went into government custody or were arrested.

After the 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections , ISF and UNMIT left East Timor for good in December.

conspiracy theories

Distribution of oil reserves between East Timor and Australia

After being sworn in as Prime Minister, Ramos-Horta declared that he wanted to ensure that the ratification of the treaty on the division of the use of the oil and gas fields (CMATS treaty) was carried out as quickly as possible. His predecessor Alkatiri had delayed this because parts of FRETILIN saw themselves being taken advantage of. To the displeasure of Australia, Alkatiri also wanted to organize the exploitation of the East Timorese fields in cooperation with Chinese companies. His style of government was also described as authoritarian. Fears arose that Alkatiri would turn East Timor into a totalitarian one-party state . This was supposed to be done with the help of a militia that Alkatiri is said to have equipped against the rebel soldiers - similar to 1975, when FRETILIN defeated the UDT after their attempted coup and either expelled or killed its members. Cuban doctors, who had a reputation for taking special care of the people in the villages, aroused additional suspicion. On the other hand, it was reported that many former pro-Indonesian collaborators were among the rebelling Kaladi .

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that, contrary to other statements, Australia was planning to expand its military presence in East Timor. A modern military base for 3,000 men is to be built there. The high costs for this contradict the desired useful life of only 15 months. The USA should also receive usage rights for the base. Voices from the Australian press demanded the clarification of the events in East Timor, as conspiracy theories slowly spread. The journalist John Martinkus claimed after research in East Timor in The Age that the unrest in East Timor was an "organized, instrumentalized campaign" with the aim of overthrowing the government, especially since the accusation against Alkatiri of having set up death squads, first published in the Australian press.

Alkatiri alleged foreign officers from the West tried to organize a coup against him because he was too independent and disrupted Australia's oil and gas interests. It is not clear whether these officers are American or Australian, said Alkatiri, but they spoke English. Australian Prime Minister Howard also urged him to resign. Alkatiri also criticized the role of the Catholic Church and President Gusmãos in his removal. Ramos-Horta described it as absolute nonsense that Australia should have been involved in driving Alkatiri out of office. The Portuguese government has also accused Australia of interfering in the internal affairs of East Timor.

In contrast, there were rumors that the embassy of the People's Republic of China played a role during the protests against Alkatiri. Alkatiri withdrew to the embassy premises several times when he was harassed by his political opponent.

See also

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Jochen Buchsteiner: Again, hunger and machetes rule . In: FAZ , June 1, 2006
  2. ↑ a b International troops to stabilize the situation in Timor-Leste . Wikinews , May 27, 2006
  3. ↑ More East Timorese soldiers desert: officer . ( Memento of May 29, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, February 28, 2006
  4. ↑ The Australian, May 27, 2006, Back for good ( Memento from February 1, 2008 in the web archive archive.today )
  5. ^ East Timor's PM criticises military dismissal . ABC Radio Australia, March 24, 2006
  6. ↑ ABC, May 25, 2006, Defense Force dispute puts East Timor in crisis ( Memento of May 27, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
  7. ^ East Timor Soldiers Kill 9 Unarmed Police, Wound 27, UN Says . Bloomberg, May 26, 2006
  8. ↑ Stephen Fitzpatrick, Patrick Walters: East Timor on violent course . ( Memento from February 15, 2008 in the web archive archive.today ) The Australian , May 6, 2006
  9. ^ Former soldiers' protest turns violent in Dili . ( Memento of April 26, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, April 24, 2006
  10. ^ A b Mark Bowling: Claim troops loyal to E Timor PM killed 60 civilians . ABC, June 9, 2006
  11. ^ Mark Dodd: Fractured democracy . ( Memento of February 15, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) The Australian, May 25, 2006.
  12. ^ Aust to send troops to E Timor . ( Memento of May 25, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, May 24, 2006
  13. ↑ Mass exodus in East Timor for fear of new violence . In: Die Welt , May 6, 2006
  14. ↑ E Timor unrest in attempted coup: PM . ( Memento of May 11, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, May 9, 2006.
  15. ↑ Ramos-Horta warns political parties to behave . ( Memento from May 20, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, May 11, 2006 ( archive.org )
  16. ^ Soldier killed in Timor gun battle . ( Memento of May 24, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, May 23, 2006
  17. ↑ Timor-Leste Democracy Support Network: Media Relaease: Capture of Reinado rebel group in Timor Leste , March 4, 2007 , accessed on May 3, 2014.
  18. ↑ a b Troops arrive in East Timor . ( Memento of May 27, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, May 25, 2006 ( archive.org )
  19. ^ East Timor: Soldiers Convicted Of Murdering Unarmed Police . My Sinchew, November 30, 2007.
  20. ^ Thousands of Dili residents yet to return home . ( Memento of April 19, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, May 16, 2006
  21. ^ Navy on stand-by for E Timor deployment . ( Memento from May 20, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, May 12, 2006 ( archive.org )
  22. ^ Narda Gilmore: Troops head to East Timor . ( Memento of April 18, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, May 27, 2006
  23. ^ Commandos secure E Timor airport . BBC , May 25, 2006
  24. ↑ a b PM defends Timor troops . News.com.au, May 29, 2006
  25. ↑ Malaysia Sends 209 Soldiers To Help Quell Unrest In Timor Leste . Bernama, May 26, 2006.
  26. ↑ Malaysian police team to serve in Timor Leste, no longer exists .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: New Straits Times , June 17, 2006.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.nst.com.my  
  27. ↑ Malaysia Sends Advance Team To Violence hit Timor Leste . ( Memento of June 18, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Bernama, May 25, 2006
  28. ↑ Malaysia to send 250 more police to boost security in E. Timor . ( Memento of August 18, 2006 on the Internet Archive ) Yahoo News Asia, June 23, 2006 ( archive.org )
  29. ↑ 250 police personnel will leave for Timor Leste end of this month . BES, June 22, 2006.
  30. ↑ Two M'sian Logistics Vessels Arrive in Dili . ( Memento of September 29, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Bernama, June 3, 2006.
  31. ↑ Malaysian Troops Secure Vital Locations As Violence Decreases . ( Memento of August 18, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Bernama, May 28, 2006.
  32. ↑ Gusmao Asks M'sian Military Presence At Timor Leste Border Indon . ( Memento of August 18, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Bernama, May 28, 2006
  33. ↑ Timor Leste peace mission: No plans to despatch more troops, says Najib . In: New Straits Times , May 30, 2006.
  34. ^ NZ aid and troops for East Timor . TVNZ, May 27, 2006
  35. ↑ EU: 18 million for East Timor . Vienna.at
  36. ↑ UN to stay in E Timor for at least another month . ( Memento of May 20, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, May 11, 2006
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  38. ↑ UN opens E Timor refugee camp . ( Memento of May 25, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, May 25, 2006 ( archive.org )
  39. ↑ 'Total madness' as gangs fight in Dili . ( Memento of May 28, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, May 27, 2006
  40. ^ Security Council Establishes Expanded UN Mission in Timor-Leste . ( Memento from September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) United Nations Office in Timor-Leste, August 25, 2006
  41. ↑ a b Violence Increasing In Timor-Leste . Scoop Independent News, September 2, 2006
  42. ↑ Violence explodes in ETimor capital as ethnic gangs battle . Channels News Asia, May 27, 2006
  43. ^ Troops frustrated by lack of policing powers . The Age, May 29, 2006
  44. ↑ Peter Cave: Gusmao, Alkatiri meet Council of State . ABC, May 29, 2006
  45. ↑ Gusmao übernimmt emergency powers . ( Memento of December 23, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, May 30, 2006
  46. ↑ East Timor: Street fighting continues . Vienna.at, May 31, 2006
  47. ↑ Foreign peacekeepers move to source violence in East Timor . In: Boston News , May 30, 2006
  48. ↑ Gusmao takes over security in East Timor . The Age, May 30, 2006
  49. ^ Emergency rule for E Timor leader . BBC, May 30, 2006
  50. ↑ Troops stop overnight violence in E Timor . ( Memento of February 14, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, June 1, 2006.
  51. ^ Two ministers resign over E Timor crisis . ( Memento of October 17, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, June 1, 2006 ( archive.org )
  52. ↑ Lynn Bell: Ramos Horta takes over Timorese Defense Ministry . ABC, June 3, 2006
  53. ↑ Liz Jackson: Alkatiri alleged to have recruited armed group . ABC, June 8, 2006
  54. ↑ Liz Jackson: Claims E Timor's PM recruited secret security force . ABC, June 8, 2006
  55. ↑ Anne Barker: Alkatiri accused of recruiting armed squad . ABC, June 9, 2006
  56. ^ New riots in East Timor . In: Blick , June 11, 2006
  57. ^ Anne Barker: East Timor rebel soldiers agree to hand in weapons . abc.net.au, June 16, 2006
  58. ↑ Simon Montlake: East Timor rebels hand over weapons . In: The Guardian , June 16, 2006.
  59. ^ Marianne Kearney: Timorese Militia Leader Refuses to Surrender Weapons . ( January 9, 2009 memento on the Internet Archive ) Voice of America, June 19, 2006
  60. ^ East Timor leaders in stand off . BBC, June 22, 2006
  61. ↑ Power struggle in East Timor comes to a head . 20 minutes
  62. ^ E Timor ex-minister goes on trial . BBC, January 9, 2007
  63. ^ TVNZ, November 30, 2006, No show at East Timor trial
  64. ↑ a b Australian military 'broke human rights'. In: Sydney Morning Herald , July 21, 2006
  65. ↑ Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ramos-Horta resigns . (tagesschau.de archive) Tagesschau, June 25, 2006.
  66. ^ East Timor ruling party meets to debate PM's future . Reuters, June 25, 2006.
  67. ^ Alkatiri to remain as PM . The Age, June 25, 2006.
  68. ↑ Head of Government of East Timor resigns after unrest . In: FAZ , June 26, 2006.
  69. ^ East Timor PM quits . In: Herald Sun , June 26, 2006.
  70. ↑ Controversial head of government of East Timor resigns - Alkatiri gives in to pressure . In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung , June 27, 2006.
  71. ^ Alkatiri cleared of Timor assassin squad accusation . The Age, February 6, 2007.
  72. ↑ Violence flared up again in East Timor . ( Memento of the original from December 28, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: Schwäbische Zeitung , June 28, 2006 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.schwaebische.de
  73. ↑ Out of Fear of Death: Mass Weddings in East Timor . In: Catholic News , July 1, 2006.
  74. ^ East Timor's Ramos-Horta Names Cabinet, Keeps Defense Ministry . Bloomberg, July 14, 2006.
  75. ↑ Ramos-Orta is supposed to pacify East Timor . (tagesschau.de archive) Tagesschau, July 8, 2006
  76. ^ East Timor's new Cabinet sworn in . BBC, July 14, 2006
  77. ^ New East Timor cabinet unveiled . ( Memento of May 8, 2015 on the Internet Archive ) CNN , July 13, 2006
  78. ^ New East Timor government sworn in . The Age, July 14, 2006
  79. ↑ East Timor: “There is a tense calm” . ( Memento of September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Church in Need, July 18, 2006
  80. ^ East Timor resettlement plan . ( Memento from May 29, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) TVNZ, July 21, 2006
  81. ^ East Timor's coffee industry hurting . FX Street, July 20, 2006
  82. ↑ Howard talks about time after unrest when visiting East Timor . ( Memento of the original from May 12, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: Die Rheinpfalz , July 18, 2006  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.rheinpfalz.de
  83. ^ Troops not leaving Dili yet, says Howard . ( Memento of January 21, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, July 18, 2006
  84. ^ Peacekeepers to check weapons in E Timor . In: Sydney Morning Herald , July 19, 2006.
  85. ^ Australia begins gradual troop withdrawal from East Timor . In: Today , August 3, 2006
  86. ↑ Former East Timor PM questioned over 'hit squad' ( Memento from September 5, 2012 in the web archive archive.today ) In: New Zealand Herald , July 20, 2006
  87. ^ Former Timor PM banned from leaving capital. Stuff, July 21, 2006, archived from the original on July 20, 2006 ; Retrieved September 26, 2014 .
  88. ^ East Timor Rebels Arrested . ( Memento of July 28, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) VoA, July 26, 2006
  89. ↑ ETimor rebel leader charged over recent violence . ABC, July 28, 2006
  90. ↑ More police considered for Timor pullout . The Age, July 26, 2006.
  91. ↑ 40 arrested over latest E Timor unrest . ( Memento of August 13, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC, August 8, 2006 ( archive.org )
  92. ^ Lindsey Murdoch: Youths arrested in wave of violence across Dili . In: Sydney Morning Herald , August 8, 2006.
  93. ↑ Houses burnt down as gangs of youths terrorize Dili . In: Sydney Morning Herald , August 20, 2006.
  94. ↑ Unrest returns to East Timor streets . Al Jazeera , August 21, 2006.
  95. ^ Two Aussie police injured in East Timor . The Australian, August 23, 2006
  96. ↑ Australian officer hurt in Dili violence . In: Sydney Morning Herald , August 21, 2006
  97. ↑ Security Council argues over East Timor mission . New Germany , August 26, 2006.
  98. ↑ Reuters: International forces hunt for E. Timor rebel chief , August 31, 2006 ( Memento of February 22, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
  99. ↑ a b Too soon to lay blame for E Timor escape: Downer . ABC News, September 1, 2006
  100. ^ East Timor Rebel Leader Says He Will Defend Himself . Bloomberg, September 7, 2006.
  101. ^ Troops to Return from Timor . ( Memento of October 9, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) New Zealand Defense Force press release, August 28, 2006.
  102. ^ Malaysia to withdraw troops from East Timor . ABS-CBN-news, August 29, 2006
  103. ↑ NZ to cut troops in E Timor . NDTV, August 8, 2006.
  104. ^ Gangs clash in East Timor . ( Memento from September 30, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) News 24, September 1, 2006.
  105. ^ Clashes break out in Dili . In: Sydney Morning Herald , September 1, 2006.
  106. ^ Violence flares in East Timor . ( Memento from September 25, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC news, September 2, 2006 ( archive.org )
  107. ↑ UNO police force began mission in East Timor . In: Kleine Zeitung , September 13, 2006
  108. ↑ Deployment of the new UN soldiers in East Timor . news.ch, September 14, 2006
  109. ↑ News.com.au6: E Timor violence flares again . Archived from the original on September 11, 2012 ; Retrieved September 25, 2006 .
  110. ^ First Batch of Timor-Leste Police Back on Duty in Dili under UN Mentoring Scheme . ( Memento of September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) UN news, September 27, 2006
  111. ↑ Timor PM meets army rebel chief . In: Sydney Morning Herald , September 28, 2006.
  112. ^ E Timor rejects UN peace force .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. The Australian, October 12, 2006.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.theaustralian.news.com.au  
  113. ^ David Hardaker: Alkatiri may face UN investigation . ABC, June 7, 2006
  114. ^ Troops fail in Timor, says rebel . The Age, October 9, 2006.
  115. ↑ Lindsay Murdoch: UN Timor report points to top . In: Sydney Morning Herald , October 18, 2006.
  116. ↑ Violent Crisis That Shook Timor-Leste . Scoop, October 18, 2006.
  117. ^ E Timor PM stands behind defense chief .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. The Australian, October 18, 2006.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.theaustralian.news.com.au  
  118. ↑ East Timor Airport closed after fatal shooting . ( Memento from September 20, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Tirol.com
  119. ^ Shooting near East Timor airport . BBC, October 25, 2006.
  120. ^ Australian injured in East Timor clashes . The Age, October 25, 2006.
  121. ^ Gang fighting in Timor leaves two dead . In: Sydney Morning Herald , October 24, 2006.
  122. ↑ Deaths rise in Timor clashes . Al Jazeera , October 26, 2006
  123. ^ Lindsay Murdoch: Australians a prime target in Timor . In: Sydney Morning Herald , October 27, 2006.
  124. ^ One killed in gang fight in E Timor capital . ABC news, October 9, 2006.
  125. ↑ Diggers quell riot as torsos found . theaustralian.news.com.au, October 23, 2006.
  126. ^ Three bodies found on Timor beach . News.com.au, October 27, 2006.
  127. ^ Two men hacked to death in East Timor . In: Sydney Morning Herald , October 29, 2006.
  128. ↑ Anne Barker: Australians accused of Inciting East Timor violence . ( Memento of November 21, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ABC news, October 28, 2006.
  129. ^ E Timorese general seeks inquiry into Aust soldiers' conduct . ABC news, October 28, 2006.
  130. ↑ PM dismisses Timor death claims . ( Memento of November 9, 2006 in the web archive archive.today ) The Australian, October 29, 2006.
  131. ↑ Internal Displaced Monitoring Center ( Memento from November 22, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 467 kB)
  132. ^ Drug "ice" said to be behind East Timor clashes . Reuters UK, October 30, 2006
  133. ^ Alcohol, not ice, the problem in E Timor . news.com.au, October 31, 2006
  134. ↑ Timor violence is 'organized', says UN . The Age, October 27, 2006.
  135. ^ East Timor PM wants foreign troops to stay . Reuters AlertNet, November 9, 2006.
  136. ^ Timor-Leste: IDPs face difficult journey home . alertnet.org
  137. ↑ Four believed dead in more Timor violence . ( Memento from March 14, 2007 in the web archive archive.today ) The Australian, November 16, 2006.
  138. ^ Kolimau 2000 Group Attacks Martial Arts Group . ( Memento of September 28, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) UNOTIL, November 17, 2006.
  139. ^ One killed, two injured in fresh E Timor violence . ( Memento of January 24, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) ABC news, November 22, 2006.
  140. ^ Annan appoints Indian as new envoy to Timor-Leste . People's Daily online, December 7, 2006.
  141. ↑ Violence kills two in East Timor . news.com.au, January 21, 2007
  142. ^ East Timor former minister jailed . BBC, March 8, 2007
  143. ↑ Lobato escapes after Dili standoff ( Memento from September 13, 2012 in the web archive archive.today ) The Australian, August 10, 2007.
  144. ^ East Timor fears Lobato may dodge jail . The West, October 24, 2007
  145. ^ Rogerio Lobato Returns to Timor-Leste . Tempo Semanal, May 26, 2010.
  146. ^ E Timor commemorates one year since violent unrest . ABC news, May 25, 2007
  147. ^ E Timor troops jailed for killing police . The West, November 29, 2007.
  148. ↑ Timor guerilla held for assembling 'death squad' . The Age, October 4, 2007.
  149. ^ E. Timor: Successful Weapons Recovery Operation . Scoop, November 27, 2007.
  150. ↑ E Timor rebel leader told to surrender . News.com.au, January 22, 2007.
  151. ^ East Timor: Fugitive Rebel Soldier Threatens New East Timor Government . Sinchew, November 23, 2007.
  152. ^ Critical Ramos Horta on life support . The Age, February 11, 2008.
  153. ↑ United Nations Photo, February 24, 2011, Council Extends UN Timor Mission until February 2012 .
  154. ↑ Eyewitness reports, 20./21. June 2006, Osttimorforum e. V.
  155. ↑ The beneficiary is Australia . In: Junge Welt , July 14, 2006.
  156. ↑ Alkateri claims west tried to overthrow him . In: The Australian , August 30, 2006.
  157. ^ Mozambique: Alkatiri Attacks Australian Interference in Timor . AllAfrica, November 24, 2006.
  158. ^ Timor undermined by judiciary: Horta . In: Sydney Morning Herald , October 11, 2006.
  159. ↑ Bush's Struggle for Asia . Spiegel Online , November 16, 2006.
This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on August 26, 2006 .