Location of East Timor.

The 2006 East Timor crisis began as a conflict between elements of the military of East Timor over discrimination within the military, and expanded to general violence throughout the country, centred in the capital Dili. The crisis prompted a military intervention by several other countries and led to the resignation of the Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri. East Timor is the eastern half of the island of Timor. ... East Timor is the eastern half of the island of Timor. ... Military of East Timor from the CIA World Factbook 2002 // Military branches The Forças de Defesa de Timor Leste (Tetum: Forcas Defensa Timor Lorosae English: Timor Leste Defense Force) or FALINTIL-FDTL (often F-FDTL) comprises an Army and a small Naval component; note - plans are to develop a... Motto: Honra, Pátria e Povo (Portuguese: Honour, Homeland and People) Anthem: Pátria Capital Dili Largest city Dili Tetum and Portuguese1 Government Republic  - President Xanana Gusmão  - Prime Minister José Ramos Horta Independence from Portugal2   - Declared November 28, 1975   - Recognized May 20, 2002  Area  - Total 14,609 km² 5... Dili, also spelled Díli, Dilli or Dilly, is the capital of East Timor. ... Categories: Stub ...

Background

Map of Dili and immediate surroundings.

The crisis arose out of a dispute within the military of East Timor (FDTL), when soldiers from the western part of the country claimed that they were being discriminated against, in favour of soldiers from the eastern part of the country. The Lorosae (Tetum for easterners) formed the largest part of Falintil, the guerilla resistance movement which resisted Indonesian authority, and which in turn, after final independence in 2002, formed the largest part of FDTL.^[1] In contrast the Loromonu (Tetum for westerners) were less prominent in the resistance, and are less favoured in the present military structure. There has also been tension between the military and the police force, comprised of more westerners and even former members of the Indonesian military.^[1] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1289x993, 180 KB) Skildring Copied from de. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1289x993, 180 KB) Skildring Copied from de. ... Military of East Timor from the CIA World Factbook 2002 // Military branches The Forças de Defesa de Timor Leste (Tetum: Forcas Defensa Timor Lorosae English: Timor Leste Defense Force) or FALINTIL-FDTL (often F-FDTL) comprises an Army and a small Naval component; note - plans are to develop a... Tetum (also written as Tetun) is an Austronesian language, and one of its forms, Tetum- Praca, is one of the national languages of East Timor. ... Falintil (or FALINTIL) is the military wing of the Fretilin political party of East Timor. ... Guerrilla (also called a partisan) is a term borrowed from Spanish (from guerra meaning war) used to describe small combat groups. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Indonesias armed forces (Indonesian: Tentara Nasional Indonesia, abbreviated as TNI, formerly Angkatan Bersenjata Republik Indonesia, abbreviated as ABRI) total about 250,000 members, including the Army, Navy, marines, and air force. ...

Four hundred four soldiers, out of the regular strength of about 1500, deserted their barracks on 8 February 2006, joined by 177 more on 25 February.^[2] The soldiers were ordered to return in March, but refused, and were relieved of duty.^[3][4] The soldiers were later joined by some members of the police force, and were initially led by Lieutenant Gastao Salsinha.^[5] February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 25 is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

The Foreign Minister, José Ramos Horta, announced early in April that a panel would be established to hear the complaints of the former soldiers, but added that "They are not going to be brought back into the army, except on a case-by-case basis when we establish the responsibilities of each individual in this whole incident".^[6] José Manuel Ramos Horta (born December 26, 1949) has been Foreign Minister of East Timor since independence in 2002, having previously been a spokesman for the East Timorese resistance in exile during the years of Indonesian occupation between 1975 and 1999. ...

Violence

On 24 April, the former soldiers and their civilian supporters, mostly unemployed youths, marched through the streets of the capital Dili in protest. The initially peaceful march turned violent when the soldiers attacked a market run by people from the east of the country.^[6] The protests continued over the next several days, until on 28 April the former soldiers clashed with FDTL forces, who fired on the crowd. In the resultant violence, five people were killed, more than 100 buildings were destroyed and an estimated 21,000 Dili residents fled the city.^[3] April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). ... Dili, also spelled Díli, Dilli or Dilly, is the capital of East Timor. ... April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 247 days remaining. ...

On 4 May, Major Alfredo Reinado, along with 20 military police from a platoon under his command and four other riot police defected and joined the rebel soldiers, taking with them two trucks full of weapons and ammunition.^[7] After joining the soldiers, Reinado made his base in the town of Aileu in the hills south-west of Dili.^[8] There he and the military police guarded the road leading into the mountains.^[5] May 4 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (125th in leap years). ... Alfredo Reinhado. ... It has been suggested that Gendarmerie be merged into this article or section. ... Riot control are the measures to control a riot or to break up an unwanted demonstration (usually of protestors). ... Aileu is an administrative district of East Timor. ...

In the evening of 5 May, the former soldiers under Salsinha's leadership drafted a declaration calling for President Xanana Gusmão to sack the Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri and abolish the FDTL within 48 hours.^[5] When Gusmão contacted Salsinha earlier that day in an attempt to prevent the issuing of the declaration, Salsinha told him that it was "too late".^[5] May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (126th in leap years). ... Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão (born June 20, 1946), born José Alexandre Gusmão, is the first President of East Timor in Southeast Asia. ... Categories: Stub ...

The rebel soldiers remained in the hills above the capital, where they engaged in sporadic combat with FDTL forces over the next several weeks.^[3] Violent gangs also roamed the streets of Dili, burning down houses and torching cars.^[9] The civilians who fled Dili camped in tent cities nearby or in churches on the outskirts of the capital. One Catholic convent alone was providing Red Cross assistance to up to 7000 people.^[9] This article is about an abbey as a religious building. ... The Anarchist Black Cross was originally called the Anarchist Red Cross. The band Redd Kross was originally called Red Cross. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

On 8 May a police officer was killed as a crowd of 1000 surrounded a government complex, the office of a regional state secretary, in a town outside Dili.^[10] On 9 May, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri described the violence since 28 April as a coup, with "the aim of blocking the democratic institutions, preventing them to function in a way that the only solution would be for national parliament to be dissolved by the President… which would provoke the fall of the Government."^[10] However on 10 May Alkatiri announced that government officials had held negotiations with the rebel soldiers, in which it was agreed that the rebel soldiers would be paid a subsidy equal to their former military wage to assist their families.^[11] May 8 is the 128th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (129th in leap years). ... May 9 is the 129th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (130th in leap years). ... The Prime Minister of East Timor is the head of government in East Timor. ... Categories: Stub ... April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... May 10 is the 130th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (131st in leap years). ...

The United Nations peacekeeping forces left East Timor on 20 May 2005, and the remaining administrative staff and police at the United Nations Office in Timor Leste (UNOTIL) were scheduled to leave on 20 May 2006, but on 11 May their deadline was extended at least until June.^[12] The decision came alongside Foreign Minister Horta's request to the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights to investigate allegations of human rights violations by the East Timorese police forces, as alleged by Human Rights Watch and the United States Department of State.^[11][13] On 12 May Prime Minister of Australia John Howard announced that, although there had not been any formal requests for assistance from the Government of East Timor, Australian forces were standing by in readiness to provide assistance, with the amphibious transport ships HMAS Kanimbla and HMAS Manoora moving to northern waters in preparation.^[14] The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ... May 20 is the 140th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (141st in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... United Nations Office in Timor Leste (UNOTIL) will support the capacity development of critical state institutions, including the National Police (PNTL) in order to strengthen democratic governance and to help further build peace in Timor Leste. ... May 20 is the 140th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (141st in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... The purpose of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights involves the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide through direct contact with individual governments and the provision of technical assistance where appropriate. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ... The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States Government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. ... May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ... Judicial High Court Lower Courts Constitution State and territory governments Executive Governors and Administrators Premiers and Chief Ministers Legislative Parliaments and Assemblies State electoral systems ACT - NSW - NT - Qld. ... John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939), Australian politician, is currently the Prime Minister of Australia. ... Politics of East Timor takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of East Timor is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ... HMAS Kanimbla (LPA-51) was acquired as a training and helicopter support ship, originally built as the Newport class tank landing ship (LST) USS Saginaw for the U.S. Navy by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company at San Diego in California. ... HMAS Manoora, Fleet Base East. ...

The violence escalated late in May, as one FDTL soldier was killed and five wounded in a skirmish on 23 May.^[15] Foreign Minister Horta sent out an official request for military assistance on 24 May, to the governments of Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Portugal.^[8] On 25 May, as the first international forces were arriving, some renegade soldiers were moving into Dili and engaging in heavy combat with FDTL and police forces, with up to 20 people believed to have been killed.^[16] May 23 is the 143rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (144th in leap years). ... May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ... May 25 is the 145th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (146th in leap years). ...

Intervention

Main article: Operation Astute

Australian troops disembark from a C130 Hercules transport plane at Dili airport.

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Portal:Australia/2006 East Timor crisis

Operation Astute is the name of the international military response to the crisis. Led by the Australian Defence Force, and commanded by Brigadier Michael Slater of the Australian 3rd Brigade, the operation involves forces from four countries. It has been suggested that Timeline of Operation Astute be merged into this article or section. ... Image File history File links Dili_airport_aust_troops. ... Image File history File links Dili_airport_aust_troops. ... Image File history File links Wikinews-logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... The Australian Defence Force numbers about 53,000 full-time active duty personnel plus another 20,700 reservists. ... The Australian 3rd Brigade is an infantry brigade. ...

Australia

Acting Prime Minister of Australia Peter Costello announced on 24 May that Australian forces would be deployed to East Timor, with the composition of the force and the terms of engagement to be negotiated over the next few days.^[8] Australia initially offered between 1000 and 1300 infantry, three Royal Australian Navy ships (HMAS Manoora and HMAS Kanimbla already stationed nearby, and HMAS Tobruk) along with other support capabilities.^[8] Peter Howard Costello (born 14 August 1957), Australian politician, has been Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party since 1994, and Treasurer in the Australian government since 1996. ... May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ... The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. ... HMAS Manoora, Fleet Base East. ... HMAS Kanimbla (LPA-51) was acquired as a training and helicopter support ship, originally built as the Newport class tank landing ship (LST) USS Saginaw for the U.S. Navy by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company at San Diego in California. ... Penis Penis Penis Penis Penis Categories: Royal Australian Navy ships ...

On the afternoon of 25 May, four Black Hawk helicopters and a C130 Hercules transport plane landed at Dili airport with the first wave of Australian forces.^[16] By 26 May it was expected that all Australian forces would have arrived in East Timor by 27 May, a full day earlier than expected.^[17] May 25 is the 145th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (146th in leap years). ... The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a twin-turbine engine, single rotor, semi-monocoque fuselage, rotary wing helicopter. ... The Lockheed C-130 Hercules, a four-engine turboprop aircraft, is the main tactical air transport aircraft of the United States and UK military forces. ... May 26 is the 146th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (147th in leap years). ... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ...

The deployment to East Timor coincided with the withdrawal of about 260 of the 400 Australian soldiers deployed to the Solomon Islands. The 140 remaining would be supported by New Zealand and Fijian forces.^[8] However, Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said that the deployment to East Timor would not overextend the Defence Force, saying that "we have much more in our back pocket".^[16] Dr Hon Brendan Nelson Dr Brendan John Nelson (born 19 August 1958), Australian politician, has been a Liberal Party of Australia member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Bradfield, New South Wales. ... The Australian Defence Force numbers about 53,000 full-time active duty personnel plus another 20,700 reservists. ...

Malaysia

Malaysia has responded by deploying Malaysian troops, initially consisted of 219 army paratroopers and commandos. The soldiers are drawn from the 10th Brigade Paratroopers based in Terendak Camp, Melaka (Malaysia), and a unit of the army special force from Mersing Camp, Johor (Malaysia), headed by Col Ismeth Nayan Ismail. These form part of the group of 275 military and 200 police personnel who have been put on alert for possible deployment.^[18] Malaysia had planned to send in a total of 500 personnel earlier.^[19] By June 23, there were already 333 Malaysian personnel from both the police and military forces stationed in Dili. ^[20] An American Paratrooper using a T-10C series parachute Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and formed into an airborne force. ... State motto: Bersatu Teguh (Malay, United We Stand) Capital Malacca Town Governor Tun Datuk Seri Utama Mohd Khalil Yaakob Chief Minister Datuk Seri Haji Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam Area 1,650 km² Population  - Estimated 648,500 State anthem Melaka Maju Jaya This article is about a state in Malaysia. ... State Motto: Kepada Allah berserah (English: all hopes is to God (Allah) Capital Johor Bahru Royal Capital Pasir Pelangi Sultan Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj Chief minister Dato Abdul Ghani Othman Area 19,984 km² Population 3. ...

Two Royal Malaysian Navy vessels—KD Mahawangsa and KD Inderasakti—are ferrying the equipment of the Malaysian troops, including armoured carriers, to Dili. The two vessels arrived at Dili on June 3. ^[21] The troops have been taught the basic Tetum language, the spoken language by the locals, to introduce themselves as peacekeepers. Malaysian Navy ensign Royal Malaysian Navy (Malay: Tentera Laut DiRaja Malaysia (TLDM)) is the naval arm of Malaysias armed forces. ... KD Mahawangsa is a Royal Malaysian Navys 4,300 ton 100 meter multi role support ship based at Lumut Naval Base in Perak, Malaysia. ...

Upon arrival, Malaysian forces secured embassies, port, power stations, oil depot and hospitals in East Timor. The diplomat enclaves' security is being given utmost priority.^[22] Earlier, East Timorese President Xanana Gusmão had requested Malaysia to guard the East Timor-Indonesia border to prevent civilians from fleeing the country.^[23] Malaysia however has refused to do so.^[24] Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão (born June 20, 1946), born José Alexandre Gusmão, is the first President of East Timor in Southeast Asia. ...

By mid-June, Malaysia announces plan to send 250 police officers to East Timor.^[25] The Malaysian police had previously trained the local police force four years ago.^[26] According to Radio Televisyen Malaysia further, the 250-strong police force will leave for East Timor at the end of June.^[27] The Royal Malaysian Police or Polis DiRaja Malaysia in Malay is a main branch of security forces in Malaysia. ... The first RTM logo used from 1957-1963 The second RTM logo used from 1963-1969 The third RTM logo used from 1969-1978 The fourth RTM logo used from 1978-1987 The fifth RTM logo used from 1987-2004 The sixth RTM logo used from 2004-present Radio Televisyen...

New Zealand

On 25 May, Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark requested more information as to exactly what support East Timor would require from New Zealand, before committing any forces. She said that "It's very important not to walk into what is a factional dispute in some respects and be seen to be taking sides," and "It's also important to be mindful that the Security Council is having consultations as we speak."^[28] May 25 is the 145th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (146th in leap years). ... The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealands head of government and is the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand. ... For other persons named Helen Clark, see Helen Clark (disambiguation). ... The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is the organ of the United Nations charged with maintaining peace and security among nations. ...

On 26 May New Zealand deployed 42 troops, with a second contingent of 120 troops leaving Christchurch on 27 May, en route to Townsville, Queensland before being sent to East Timor. Prime Minister Clark said that the forces would be deployed where needed by the Australian command.^[29] May 26 is the 146th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (147th in leap years). ... Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the third largest city in the country. ... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... Townsville redirects here. ... Emblems: Faunal - Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus); Floral - Cooktown orchid (Dendrobium bigibbum); Bird - Brolga (Grus rubicunda); Aquatic - Barrier Reef Anemonefish (Amphiprion akindynos); Gem - Sapphire; Colour - Maroon Motto: Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Slogan or Nickname: Sunshine State, Smart State Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Const. ...

Portugal

The Portuguese Foreign Minister Freitas do Amaral announced an initial deployment of 120 military police on 24 May.^[8] They will join a group of eight high officers from the Special Operations Group of the Portuguese National Police. The Portuguese Air Force has started the evacuation of the more than 600 Portuguese citizens residing in Timor. Diogo Pinto de Freitas do Amaral (b. ... The Republican National Guard (GNR - Guarda Nacional Republicana) is a Portuguese military organization, whose soldiers, unlike the officers of the Public Safety Police (PSP), are subject to military law and organization. ... May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ...

The President of the Republic, Cavaco Silva, as well as Prime Minister José Sócrates, have called for an end to the violence. In a meeting with the Foreign Ministers of the European Union, the Foreign Minister further called for members of the EU to denounce the violent acts of the rebels. Categories: Lists of office-holders | Portugal | Presidents of Portugal ... Aníbal António Cavaco Silva (born at Boliqueime in Loulé municipality in the Algarve region, on July 15, 1939) was Portugal from November 6, 1985 to October 28, 1995. ... Prime Ministers of the Constitutional Monarchy (1834-1910) First Republic Military Dictatorship Estado Novo Third Republic See also: List of Presidents of Portugal, Politics of Portugal, Lists of incumbents This article contains content from HierarchyPedia article Prime Minister of Portugal, used here under the GNU Free Documentation License. ... José Sócrates Carvalho Pinto de Sousa (pron. ... Diogo Pinto de Freitas do Amaral (b. ...

United Nations and other bodies

On 25 May, UNOTIL opened a refugee camp outside Dili expected to house up to 1000 people.^[28] However, on 27 May as the violence escalated, the UN announced that they planned to withdraw the majority of their staff from the country.^[30] May 25 is the 145th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (146th in leap years). ... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ...

The chief executive of World Vision Australia, Reverend Tim Costello, announced on 27 May that he would travel to Dili to assess the situation, in order to help displaced civilians. He also expressed concern over reports that one World Vision worker had been killed.^[30] World Vision, founded in the United States in 1950, is an international Christian relief and development organization whose goal is working for the well being of all people, especially children. ... Tim Costello Timothy Ewen Costello AO is a prominent Baptist minister, director of World Vision Australia and brother of Australian federal Treasurer Peter Costello Costello was born in Melbourne on 4 March 1955. ... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ...

Continuing violence

Despite hopes that the presence of international troops would quell the unrest, violence continued throughout Dili and other parts of East Timor.

On 27 May, gangs from different parts of the country fought in the streets of Dili, destroying cars and houses and fighting with knives, machetes and slingshots leaving at least 3 East Timorese hacked to death.^[30] Dili residents continued to flee the city, with some seeking refuge at the Australian embassy and some going to the airport. A UN official expressed concerns that the regionally based conflict in the military was igniting wider regional conflict in the civilian population, saying "It's basically payback time between the different groups."^[30] A Catholic priest similarly described the street violence as "...east against west, soldiers against soldiers, police against soldiers, everyone against everyone... It's total madness."^[30] May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one nation state present in another nation state to represent the sending state in the receiving State. ...

The media were targeted for the first time when an AFP car, with two reporters and one photographer inside, also containing an AP photographer was attacked after one easterner forced his way into the vehicle and another jumped on the roof while attempting to escape a pursuing mob of westerners.^[31] Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ...

Australian troops were attacked as they endeavoured to keep the gangs apart, while they helped civilians escape to safety through back alleys. The Australians did not return fire, instead discouraging the gangs by advancing towards them and "shouting orders and threats".^[32] The rescued civilians were then rushed to the UN compound nearby.^[33] The Major commanding the troops said that the gangs were using mobile phones to coordinate their attacks, but that the attacks would likely cease as more international troops arrived and completely secured the city.^[32]

On 29 May, Brigadier Slater met with military and civilian leaders in East Timor, and had secured the return of FDTL soldiers to their barracks.^[34] Australian Defence Minister Brendan Nelson also said that the East Timorese authorities should expand the rules of engagement of the international forces, to give them police powers in order to combat the gangs, saying that "It's clear there needs to be political leadership as far as the policing is concerned ... what we need is a policing strategy across Dili."^[34] Also on 29 May, Australian Prime Minister John Howard rejected criticisms that Australian troops had not secured Dili quickly enough, saying that the crisis was possibly more dangerous than the violence following independence from Indonesia in 1999, and that "We cannot have a situation around the world and particularly in our region where Australia is told to respect the independence of a country and that it's a bully boy if it seeks to express a view or to intervene, but when something goes wrong Australia is then criticised for not having, quote, intervened earlier."^[35] May 29 is the 149th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (150th in leap years). ... Dr Hon Brendan Nelson Dr Brendan John Nelson (born 19 August 1958), Australian politician, has been a Liberal Party of Australia member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Bradfield, New South Wales. ... May 29 is the 149th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (150th in leap years). ... John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939), Australian politician, is currently the Prime Minister of Australia. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Old Farts by the Sometimes-United Nations. ...

Council of State meeting

Throughout 29 May and 30 May, President Xanana Gusmão held crisis talks with the Council of State, an advisory body comprised of community leaders.^[36] The Council, which has the ability to authorise the President to dismiss the National Parliament, was the first meeting between Gusmão and Prime Minister Alkatiri since the escalation of violence in the previous week.^[37] The meeting was also attended by Foreign Minister Horta (leading to speculation that Horta might be appointed as a temporary Prime Minister if Alkatiri were to be sacked), the Bishop of Dili, the UNOTIL representative Sukehiro Hasegawa and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's personal representative Ian Martin, who was previously the UN representative to East Timor in the leadup to the independence referendum in 1999.^[37] Gusmão emerged from the meeting in the afternoon of 29 May to urge crowds gathered outside, composed of supporters of Gusmão and Horta and opponents of Alkatiri, to put down their weapons and return home, saying "If you trust me, west and east, embrace each other in your home, be calm and help each other to stay calm".^[37][38] May 29 is the 149th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (150th in leap years). ... May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... The National Parliament of East Timor (Portuguese: Parlamento Nacional de Timor-Leste) is the unicameral national legislature in East Timor. ... United Nations Office in Timor Leste (UNOTIL) will support the capacity development of critical state institutions, including the National Police (PNTL) in order to strengthen democratic governance and to help further build peace in Timor Leste. ... Kofi Annan, current Secretary-General of the United Nations The Secretary General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Ian Martin is a human rights activist who has been involved in a number of Human Rights organisation. ... May 29 is the 149th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (150th in leap years). ...

Late on 30 May, after the Council meeting and following an emergency meeting with his cabinet, Gusmão announced that he was declaring a state of emergency to last for 30 days, during which time Gusmão, as Commander-in-Chief, would have sole command of both the military and the police forces, and would personally coordinate with the international forces, and in order to combat the gang violence both internal and international forces would have increased policing powers.^[36] There had been some speculation that the Council would advise Gusmão to dissolve the Parliament and sack Prime Minister Alkatiri,^[39] however under the emergency arrangements Alkatiri would remain in office, albeit with reduced authority.^[36] Gusmão said that he was taking personal responsibility of both the military and police in order to "prevent violence and avoid further fatalities".^[40] Gusmão said that the decision to assume control was taken in "close collaboration" with Alkatiri, despite some members of the government, including Foreign Minister Horta, attributing some of the blame for the crisis directly to Alkatiri.^[41][40] May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... Commander-in-Chief (in NATO-lingo often C-in-C or CINC pronounced sink) is the commander of all the military forces within a particular region or of all the military forces of a state. ...

On 1 June, Gusmão visited a refugee camp near the United Nations headquarters, telling people "The best thing you can do is go back to your homes", and urging them not to take security matters into their own hands. On the same day, Interior Minister Rogerio Lobato and Defence Minister Roque Rodriguez resigned, Lobato blaming the crisis on opponents to the government resorting to violence rather than political means.^[42] Foreign Minister Ramos Horta subsequently took over the Defence ministry, while Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar urged Ramos Horta to act strongly in his new capacity, in the interests of achieving political stability, while emphasising that the United Nations should be prepared to resume greater role.^[43] June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar (born January 15, 1944 in Kampong Malayu Air Hitam, Penang, Malaysia) is a politician from Malaysia. ...

Civil unrest in Dili

On the night of 31 May, gangs in the capital Dili burned down a market and several houses in arson attacks.^[44] May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining. ...

On 2 June, a large crowd of about 1000 people who had waited in vain for several hours for food handouts raided a government warehouse in Dili, taking computer equipment, furniture and other supplies in order to trade them for food.^[45] Australian soldiers present at the warehouse were unable to prevent the looting due to a lack of police powers, and although they summoned Portuguese police, the warehouse was practically empty.^[46] On the same day a crowd of 500 to 600 people protested outside Government House again calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Alkatiri. A group of East Timorese police who arrived to confront the demonstration were stopped and searched by Australian troops, who confiscated their only weapons, several cans of pepper spray, as part of a policy of removing all weapons from the streets.^[46] June 2 is the 153rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (154th in leap years), with 212 days remaining. ... Pepper spray (also known as OC spray (from Oleoresin Capsicum), OC gas, or capsicum spray) is a lachrymatory agent (a chemical compound that irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even temporary blindness) that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs...

Meanwhile, also on 2 June, the commander of the Australian forces Brigadier Slater met with rebel leader Major Reinhado, at his base in Aileu above Dili. Reinhado reiterated his calls for Prime Minister Alkatiri to resign, but Alkatiri rejected the calls, instead saying that all "irregular forces" ought to hand in their weapons.^[47] In interviews, Slater said that he did not ask Reinhado to surrender or participate in negotiations because the situation was not ready for discussions, as not all groups were ready to participate. Slater said that some of the violence seemed coordinated, and that he had been cooperating with the military, the police, the government, and Reinhado in an attempt to find those planning the violence.^[48] June 2 is the 153rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (154th in leap years), with 212 days remaining. ... Aileu is an administrative district of East Timor. ...

On the night of 2 June and 3 June, looting and gang violence destroyed another dozen houses in Dili, and forced the temporary closure of the main road between Dili and the airport to the west of the city, where the international forces were based, although Australian and Malaysian forces quickly secured the road.^[48] June 2 is the 153rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (154th in leap years), with 212 days remaining. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ...

Over the next few days, violence continued to occur in the suburb of Comoro, the area to the west of the city centre around the road to the airport (also known as Comoro Airfield) where many groups from both the east and the west of the country lived nearby. On 5 June, rival gangs, with over a hundred members each, clashed in the streets armed with spears, machetes and slingshots, before being separated by Australian troops.^[49] However at the same time in the centre of Dili, the unrest had all but ended, with commercial areas re-opening and some of the damaged buildings and shops being repaired.^[49] June 5 is the 156th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (157th in leap years), with 209 days remaining. ...

Protests, allegations and investigations

On 6 June, a convoy of anti-Alkatiri protestors from the west of the country drove to Dili, through the western suburb of Comoro and to the National Parliament and government buildings in the heart of the city. The convoy consisted of at least thirty trucks, along with buses and motorbikes, and were accompanied by Malaysian and Australian forces in armoured personnel carriers and an Australian Army Black Hawk helicopter.^[50] However, there was little or no violence accompanying the convoy, aside from some stones thrown as the convoy passed through Comoro, indicative of the level of support for the protest, which one reporter described as "a very impressive show of people power".^[50] In a deal brokered by Foreign Minister Horta to ensure a peaceful protest, the convoy consisting of up to 2,500 people gathered in Tibar outside the Malaysian checkpoint to the west of the airport, where they surrendered any weapons before proceeding through Dili.^[51] June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... The National Parliament of East Timor (Portuguese: Parlamento Nacional de Timor-Leste) is the unicameral national legislature in East Timor. ... The M113, one of the most common tracked APCs, on duty during the Vietnam War. ... The Australian Army is Australias military land force. ... The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a twin-turbine engine, single rotor, semi-monocoque fuselage, rotary wing helicopter. ...

The crowd chanted for the resignation of Prime Minister Alkatiri, while also expressing support for President Gusmao. Gusmao later addressed the crowd from atop a car outside his office, saying "Let me bring peace to East Timor and then we will resolve others matters."^[52] He was said to be in tears at times, and said "The priority now is to stop people burning, and guns shooting."^[53] The convoy completed a loop around the inner city, before peacefully dispersing again.^[50]

On 7 June, Alkatiri agreed to a United Nations invesigation into allegations that he was responsible for several incidents in April and May which sparked the crisis. UNOTIL representative Sukehiro Hasegawa, having met separately with Alkatiri and rebel leaders including Tarak Palasinyar and Reinhado, said that Alkatiri was "agreeable to the investigations to be carried out... He's very transparent. He insists that truth should be known, what happened."^[54] Meanwhile, Australian Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said that the East Timorese judicial system was beginning to deal successfully with the problem of violent street gangs, saying that "We are detaining people, we are bringing them before a magistrate, and if they are found guilty, then, they are further being detained."^[55] June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... United Nations Office in Timor Leste (UNOTIL) will support the capacity development of critical state institutions, including the National Police (PNTL) in order to strengthen democratic governance and to help further build peace in Timor Leste. ... Dr Hon Brendan Nelson Dr Brendan John Nelson (born 19 August 1958), Australian politician, has been a Liberal Party of Australia member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Bradfield, New South Wales. ...

On 8 June, claims emerged that former Interior Minister and Alkatiri ally Rogerio Lobato (who had resigned a week earlier), acting on Alkatiri's instructions, recruited and armed a civilian militia to "eliminate" opponents of Alkatiri. The group consisted of about thirty civilians, and were allegedly armed with "18 assault rifles, 6,000 round [sic] of ammunition, two vehicles and uniforms."^[56] The leader of the group, referred to as Commander Railos, said that they had instructions to kill all of the rebel soldiers, but after losing five of the group in armed combat in Dili came to "appreciate that the cost of arming civilians was bloodshed and deaths on all sides" and was prepared to surrender to President Gusmao.^[57] Alkatiri strenuously denied the claims, saying that his government had not armed any civilians. Foreign Minister Ramos-Horta also said that he found it "very hard to believe that our own Prime Minister would... arm civilians".^[58] June 8 is the 159th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (160th in leap years), with 206 days remaining. ... -1... Sic is a Latin word meaning thus or so. In writing, it is italicized and placed within square brackets — [sic] — to indicate that an incorrect or unusual spelling, phrase, or other preceding quoted material is a verbatim reproduction of the quoted original and is not a transcription error. ...

On 9 June, Lieutenant Gastao Salsinha, the original leader of the rebel soldiers, reiterated the claims of Commander Railos, saying that Lobato had distributed 200 rifles stolen from the police armoury to civilians. He also claimed that on 28 April, the same day as the clash between the military and rebel soldiers that sparked the crisis, soldiers loyal to Alkatiri had shot and killed 60 civilians, before burying them in a mass grave outside Dili.^[58] The United Nations announced on 12 June that they would hold an inquiry into the crisis, but that they would not investigate the allegations made against Lobato and Alkatiri.^[59] June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ... An armory is a military depot used for the storage of weapons and ammunition. ... April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... Grave in Sarajevo during the siege in 1992-1993. ... June 12 is the 163rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (164th in leap years), with 202 days remaining. ...

Rebel soldier Major Tara (left) hands over his weapon to Lieutenant Colonel Mick Mumford, at a ceremony in the city of Gleno on 5 July.

Meanwhile the violence in Dili appeared to be subsiding, despite sporadic outbreaks, as international peacekeepers continued to secure the city. By 16 June, rebel soldiers were ready to hand in their weapons, in exchange for protection from the international military forces, following more than a week of negotiations.^[60] At camps in Gleno and Maubisse, rebels including Alfredo Reinhado surrendered weapons, including several M16 rifles, which were then sealed in a shipping container. Brigadier Slater expressed doubts that all weapons would be handed in, but said that the presence of international forces around the rebel bases "will enable them to confidently enter into negotiations with the president and other members of the government."^[61] Image File history File linksMetadata Gleno_weapons_handover_5july. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Gleno_weapons_handover_5july. ... July 5 is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 179 days remaining. ... June 16 is the 167th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (168th in leap years), with 198 days remaining. ... Gleno is a city in East Timor, 30 km to the southwest of Dili, the national capital, but the drive takes about two hours on the twisty mountain road. ... Alfredo Reinhado. ... M16 (more formally United States Rifle, Caliber 5. ... Containers in the port of Kotka (Finland) on the Baltic Sea. ...

On 20 June, the East Timorese Prosecutor-General issued an arrest warrant for Rogerio Lobato for arming Commander Railos and other civilians. Although there was initially some speculation as to whether Lobato had fled the country,^[62] by 21 June he was under house arrest in Dili.^[63] June 20 is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 194 days remaining. ... An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by a public officer which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual. ... June 21 is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 193 days remaining. ... In justice and law, house arrest is the situation where a person is confined (by the authorities) to his or her residence. ...

On 20 June, the United Nations Security Council issued Resolution 1690, extending UNOTIL's mandate until 20 August and expressing support for the existing international peacekeeping effort.^[63] A controversy ensued as to whether the military component of the next UN mission would be under UN or Australian command, and the Security Council, unable to reach agreement, extended the mission for an additional five days on 20 August.^[64] Five days later, the Council adopted Resolution 1704 creating the new United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT). Australia was allowed to retain command over the joint military task force, although the UN Secretary-General and Security Council will revisit this question by 25 October. June 20 is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 194 days remaining. ... The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is the organ of the United Nations charged with maintaining peace and security among nations. ... August 20 is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This page is a candidate to be copied to Wikisource If the page can be edited into an encyclopedic article, rather than merely a copy of the source text, please do so and remove this message. ...

Resolution

Change of leadership

On 22 June, President Gusmão delivered an ultimatum on a national television broadcast, saying that he would resign as President the following day if Prime Minister Alkatiri did not resign. He had earlier told Alkatiri that he had lost confidence in him, and in his broadcast said that "Fretilin has to choose, ask Mari Alkatiri to take responsibility for the major crisis, about the sacrifices of the state, the law and democracy."^[65] The announcement followed reports the preceding day originating from Alkatiri's office that Alkatiri had intended to step back from an active role as Prime Minister on the morning of 22 June. The reports indicated that a plan had been developed which would see Alkatiri remain officially as Prime Minister for another month, but that two deputies would be appointed, who would have in fact governed in his place.^[66] June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ...

After Gusmão's broadcast, several thousand of his supporters began protesting in Dili, imploring that he not resign, with two or three thousand assembled by the afternoon of 23 June. Gusmão did not in fact resign that day, and indeed announced to the protestors that he would fulfil his constitutional duties, apparently indicating that he would not resign.^[67] Alkatiri said that he would only resign if his party Fretilin wanted him to, and on 25 June, a meeting of Fretilin leaders confirmed Alkatiri's status as Prime Minister. In response, Foreign and Defence Minister José Ramos Horta resigned from office "because the government is not functioning properly", according to his spokesperson.^[68] June 23 is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 191 days remaining. ... FRETILINs flag The Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Portuguese: Frente Revolucionária de Timor-Leste Independente or FRETILIN) was a resistance movement which fought for the independence of East Timor, first from Portugal and then from Indonesia, between 1974 and 1998. ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... José Manuel Ramos Horta (born December 26, 1949) has been Foreign Minister of East Timor since independence in 2002, having previously been a spokesman for the East Timorese resistance in exile during the years of Indonesian occupation between 1975 and 1999. ...

The next day, 26 June up to eight more ministers threatened to resign, and Horta was beginning a press conference discussing his resignation when he received a phone call; after answering it, he said to the media "Please, we cancel our press conference because it is irrelevant anyway now. You are invited to go to the residence of the Prime Minister. He wants to make an announcement."^[69] There Alkatiri announced his resignation, saying: June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 188 days remaining. ...

"Having deeply reflected on the present situation prevailing in the country, considering that above all interests are the interests of our nation, assuming my own share of responsibility for the crisis affecting our country, determined not to contribute to any deepening of the crisis, recognising that the people of Timor deserve to live in peace and tranquillity, believing that all militants and sympathisers of Fretilin will understand and support this position, I declare I am ready to resign from my position of Prime Minister of the government of RDTL, so as to avoid the resignation of His Excellency, the President of the Republic."^[70]

After the announcement, mobs in the streets of Dili began to celebrate rather than protest. Australian Prime Minister John Howard said he was pleased with the resignation, insofar as it was "part of the process of working out the difficulty, resolving the impasse".^[70] John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939), Australian politician, is currently the Prime Minister of Australia. ...

On 27 June, Alkatiri was issue with a summons to appear in court in order to give evidence relating to the accusations that Rogerio Lobato armed a group of civilians, prosecutors suggesting that Alkatiri may also be charged over allegations about his role in the matter.^[71] June 27 is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 187 days remaining. ... A summons is a legal document issued by a court (a judicial summons) or by an administrative agency of government (an administrative summons) for various purposes. ...

Following Alkatiri's resignation Horta withdrew his resignation to contest the prime ministership, and was appointed Prime Minister on 8 July 2006 by President Gusmão. ^[72] July 8 is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 176 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Consequences

The crisis has had an impact on the political landscape of East Timor. On 11 May 2006, Foreign Minister Horta suggested that Fernando Lasama, the leader of the Democratic Party, had encouraged the unrest. He also warned other parties not to exploit the violence and unrest for electoral gain, calling "on all parties to know that those who want to spread disunity, scare or threaten the people will not be chosen by the people [in the 2007 elections]."^[73] May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Democratic Party (Partido Democrático) or Democratic Party In Timor-Leste is a political party of East Timor, established on June 10, 2001. ...

By August 2006, troops had withdrawn from some points of the country and the rebels' leader, Alfredo Reinado, was able to escape from Becora Prision, in Dili.

References

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