East Timor was colonised by the Portuguese in the seventeenth century. The Portuguese withdrew from the colony in 1974. In 1975, concerned that the guerrillas who had opposed Portuguese forces would expand their sphere of influence into their territory, Indonesia invaded and absorbed East Timor. Forças da Liberação Nacional de Timor-Leste (Falintil), the guerrilla wing of the Fretilin political movement continued to fight for independence until Indonesian President B J Habibie allowed a plebiscite. Intimidation by pro-Jakarta militia failed to sway voters with 78.5% choosing independence. Violence by militia escalated—homes and infrastructure were destroyed, people were killed in the streets and over 300,000 people were forcibly relocated to West Timor.
On 14 September 1999 Australia agreed to lead a multi-nation stabilisation force and the next day the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1264 established INTERFET.
The success of INTERFET relied on more than security on the ground; regional consensus was essential. Major commitments from Thailand, Singapore and Philippines were negotiated and Malaysia provided a smaller contribution. Major General Sonkitti Jaggabattra of Thailand was also INTERFET’s deputy commander. In all, twenty-two countries contributed to the mission—Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, United Kingdom and the United States. Japan offered significant funding.
In 2002, the United Nations Transitional Administration East Timor (UNTAET) succeeded INTERFET. By 2005 the follow-on United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) was closed with final Australian troops withdrawing from Moleana on 13 June. Australian support in the form of advisors and members of the Defence Cooperation Program–East Timor continued and members of the Australian Federal Police also remained.
In 2006, simmering tensions in the security forces came to a head. Breakdown of both the Falintil–Forcas Defensa Timor Lorasae (F-FDTL) and the Policia Nacional de Timor-Leste (PNTL) led to violence throughout the streets of Dili. The Timor-Leste Government declared a state of emergency and negotiated the help of an Australian-led International Stabilisation Force, with Operation ASTUTE the Australian component, through the United Nations and the Australian Government. At the end of the crisis approximately 150,000 people were internally displaced and 1650 houses were destroyed.
On 26 May 2006, Australia deployed Combined Joint Task Force 631 to conduct evacuation and stabilisation operations in Dili. The International Stabilisation Force did not operate under a United Nations mandate though. In August 2006 the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1704 created a mandate for the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT).
