| Accession Number | P03607.328 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Negative |
| Maker |
Immig, John |
| Place made | East Timor: Suai |
| Date made | April 2000 |
| Conflict |
East Timor, 1999-2013 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial
This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
|
Brigadier Duncan Lewis, Australian Army, and Commanding Officer United Nations Transitional ...
Description
Brigadier Duncan Lewis, Australian Army, and Commanding Officer United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) Suai (right), speaks with an unidentified Australian major at a briefing at UN Headquarters. Maps and documents have been laid out on large tables in the centre of the room. 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 UNTAET, who were to maintain security, establish an effective administration and develop civil and social services.