East Timorese children watch as Lance Corporal O'Connor (left) and Sapper (Spr) Olsen (right) of ...

East Timorese children watch as Lance Corporal O'Connor (left) and Sapper (Spr) Olsen (right) of the 2nd Field Troop, 5th Combat Engineer Regiment (5CER) participate in road building works. Spr Olsen, wearing ear protectors, uses a mechanised 'whacker-packer' (earth tamper) to pack down the road surface. Following the overwhelming vote for independence by the East Timorese on 30 August 1999 in the United Nations (UN) sponsored referendum, the pro-Indonesian militia launched a campaign of destruction, arson and murder, killing approximately 1500 people and forcing 300 000 others into West Timor as refugees. On 15 September, the UN issued a resolution, calling for a multinational force to restore peace and security and facilitate humanitarian assistance operations. By 20 September 1999, the first coalition force began deploying to East Timor as part of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET). Five months later in February 2000, INTERFET handed control of military operations over to the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), who were to maintain security, establish an effective administration and develop civil and social services.