Informal portrait of four members of an international crime scene investigation team sitting ...

Informal portrait of four members of an international crime scene investigation team sitting outside the Liquica Police Station. Left to right: Matt Skinner, Assistant Forensic Anthropologist; Francisco De Silva, of Portugal, United Nations (UN) Civilian Police (CIVPOL); 'Anre' , Royal Canadian Mounted Police; and Australian Staff Sergeant Adrian, CIVPOL. The team has been working on the exhumation of human remains at Liquica. In April 1999 up to 200 East Timorese were murdered at a Liquica catholic church by members of the pro-Indonesian militia, and Indonesian soldiers. After the massacre, many of the victim's bodies were moved from the church area, in an attempt to hide the scale of the atrocity. 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 Australian-led 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.