Radiology tent at the military hospital established by the Australian Army's 1st Field Hospital ...

Accession Number P03605.117
Collection type Photograph
Object type Negative
Maker Immig, John
Place made East Timor: Dili
Date made 13 January 2000
Conflict East Timor, 1999-2013
Copyright Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial
Creative Commons License This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
Description

Radiology tent at the military hospital established by the Australian Army's 1st Field Hospital (1 Fd Hosp), in the grounds of the Dili museum. At the entry to the tent is a hand-made 'X-RAY' sign attached to a flat plastic skeleton hanging from a tent flap. The members of 1Fd Hosp are on deployment with the Australian-led International Force for East Timor (INTERFET). 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 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.

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