Medals - East Timor Peacekeeping

The UN established UNAMET on 11 June 1999. The mission's role was to organise and conduct a ballot for a public referendum on whether East Timor should have autonomy under Indonesia, or independence. The Australian operation was codenamed Operation Faber. The operation included 45 military personnel.

On 15 September 1999, the UN Security Council authorised the formation of a multinational force known as INTERFET. It was headed by Australia, with a mission to: restore peace and security in East Timor. INTERFET began landing in East Timor on 20 September 1999 with the agreement of the Indonesian Government. By November 1999, 22 nations had contributed to INTERFET, including the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. The Australian operations were known as Operation Stabilise and Operation Warden. The Australian Government sent about 5,500 service people to East Timor as part of its contribution to INTERFET. This was the largest deployment of Australian troops since the Vietnam War.
United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) from 2000 to 2002.

The UN established UNTAET on 25 October 1999. UNTAET directly administered East Timor, including: providing a peacekeeping force; coordinating relief assistance; creating structures for sustainable governance and law; assisting in the drafting of a new constitution and conducting elections. The Australians became involved from February 2000, in Operation Tanager. It comprised 7,500 ADF personnel. Australia contributed an Infantry Battalion Group force to the western border region (Sector West) of East Timor.

When Timor-Leste became internationally recognised as an independent state, the UN established UNMISET. The mission provided assistance to the new government. This included law enforcement, and internal and external security.

The UN established UNOTIL to continue to support the development of critical state institutions. Sixteen ADF personnel were involved in Operation Chiron. This was the ADF's regional Defence Cooperation Program (DCP). Personnel performed liaison and monitoring functions.

The UN established UNMIT on 25 August 2006. It was created to support the government in consolidating stability. The Australian operation, codenamed Operation Tower, comprised 4 ADF personnel and 50 police at any one time.

In 2006, Timor-Leste experienced a domestic security crisis, which included widespread violence and civil unrest. Elements of the military sparked the unrest by protesting poor conditions and discrimination between soldiers from the country's east and west. Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Portugal intervened through the Australian-led International Stabilisation Force (ISF). The international operation, codenamed Operation Astute comprised approximately 1,800 ADF personnel and supported ongoing peace and stability in Timor-Leste