During the
East Timor independence referendum 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
Indonesian 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'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 Timor ...
(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 (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''.
See also
*
References
Indonesian occupation of East Timor
1990s in East Timor
Paramilitary organizations based in Indonesia
History of Timor
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