Timor-Leste was a Portuguese colony from the early 16th century until 1975 when a coup in Lisbon resulted in a change of government who did not want to retain the colonies. A coup in Timor-Leste threw the country into civil war only to be followed by the invasion by Indonesia. Indonesia claimed Timor-Leste as a province in 1976 although the UN never recognised the annexation. Indonesian forces occupied Timor-Leste from 1976 through to 1999 and an estimated 200,000 people, which is about a fourth of the island’s population, were killed during this time.
On 30 August 1999, the UN conducted a referendum in which the Timorese were able exercise a vote for the first time. There was trouble, however, before the vote even started. Gangs of up to 30,000 had formed armed with machetes and rifles to frighten the Timorese to vote against independence in the days leading up to the referendum. Despite this intimidation, 78.5% voted for independence.
After the referendum result, gangs and militia groups destroyed houses and buildings, formed roadblocks, forced people to leave their homes and towns and villages were demolished. More than 200,000 refugees were forced across the border into West Timor.
Violence continued to escalate until 7 September when the UN gave Indonesia 48 hours to resolve the conflict. On 12 September Indonesia accepted an international peacekeeping force and on 20 September UN peacekeepers, including New Zealanders, arrived.
The New Zealand commitment to the peacekeeping force was the largest deployment since the Vietnam war. New Zealand maintained its involvement providing border security, a stabilisation force, staff officers to the UN headquarters and training support for the Timor-Leste Defence Force until 2002.
The NZDF continued to be involved, although in lesser numbers, until 2006 when the soldier’s strike in the Timor-Leste Defence Force destabilised the country. The New Zealand Defence Force now has approximately 120 Service members deployed.