During the
East Timor
East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-west ...
independence referendum
An independence referendum is a type of referendum in which the residents of a territory decide whether the territory should become an independent sovereign state. An independence referendum that results in a vote for independence does not alwa ...
in 1999, pro-Indonesia militias refers to
paramilitary militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
s in East Timor that were loyal to the
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
n government. They operated during the final years of the
Indonesian occupation of East Timor.
History
Pro-Indonesia militias were responsible for multiple atrocities and
mass-killings during
East Timor
East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-west ...
's bid for independence and transitional period. This led to the
1999 East Timorese crisis
The 1999 East Timorese crisis began with attacks by pro-Indonesia militia groups on civilians, and expanded to general violence throughout the country, centred in the capital Dili. The violence intensified after a majority of eligible East Timo ...
(known as the East Timor Scorched Earth campaign), which included notable incidents such as the
Liquiçá Church,
Manuel Carrascalão House, and
Suai Church massacres. One of the most notorious militia leaders was
Eurico Guterres, the leader of
Aitarak, who was convicted and sentenced to ten years in prison for his participation in the Liquiçá Church massacre.
Militias
Notable militias included:
*
Aitarak (Thorn)
*
Besi Merah Putih Besi Merah Putih (also known as BMP), meaning ' red and white iron' in Indonesian, is the official name of an East Timor pro-Indonesia militia operating in the district of Liquiçá, and originating in the village of Maubara.
Acts of murder, to ...
(Red and White Iron)
*
Garda Muda Penegak Integrasi (Youth Guard for Upholding Integration)
*
Laksaur
*
Mati Hidup dengan Indonesia (Live and Die with Indonesia)
Fictional depictions
Fictional representations of these groups, their members, and their atrocities were shown in the 2006 Australian miniseries ''
Answered by Fire
''Answered by Fire'' is a two-part television film based on the 1999 conflicts in East Timor that led to its independence in 2002. The film is based on "Dancing with the Devil: A Personal Account of Policing the East Timor Vote for Independence" ...
''.
See also
*
References
Indonesian occupation of East Timor
1990s in East Timor
Paramilitary organizations based in Indonesia
History of Timor
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