World Military and Police Forces: Timor Leste (East Timor)

Timor Leste (East Timor)

Capital: Dili

Timor Leste has a predominately Roman Catholic population, while Indonesia is predominately muslim.

Historical

Captured by the Portuguese in the 1500's. Called Portuguese Timor. The people of East Timor declared independence in 1975, but were invaded by Indonesia nine days after declaring independence . After years of fighting between FALINTIL guerrillas and Indonesian soldiers and militia, the United Nations intervened in 1999. The U.N. backed INTERFET or International Force for East Timor began to arrive soon after. INTERFET was composed mostly of soldiers from Australia, who sent 5,500 troops, and New Zealand, who sent around 1,100 troops.

Officially achieved independence from Indonesia on May 20, 2002.

FRETILIN

Frente Revolutionaria de Timor-Leste Independente or Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor

Leftest political party created in 1974. FALINTIL was the armed wing.

FALINTIL Forcas Defensa de Timor Leste

Xanana Gusmao was a FALINTIL guerrilla commander and the first president of independent East Timor.

FALINTIL fighters began to set up military camps in the interior of the country. Used mostly weapons left over by the Portuguese. Eventually began to capture some weapons from Indonesian forces.

Forcas de Defesa de Timor Leste (F-FDTL)

Around 1,350 personnel

Former Forcas Armadas de Libertacao de Timor Leste, or FALINTIL guerrillas who fought Indonesian government forces and Indonesian militias formed the original F-FDTL forces upon independence in 1999.

2006 protests in the military over discrimination led to around half the force being fired.

Land Component

Around 1,300 personnel

Most weapons have been donated by other nations

M203 under barrel grenade launchers
M2 Browning .50 cal machine guns

FN Minimi machine guns

sniper rifles

M-16 assault rifles
G3 assault rifles

M1911 pistols

Maritime Component

Albatroz Class patrol boats donated by Portugal (2)

Armed with 20mm Oerlikon cannons and two 12.7mm machine guns.