2 Infantry Battalion in UNTAET, East Timor, 2000

In October 1999 respected political analyst Noam Chomsky held little optimism for resolution to the chaos engulfing East Timor; "In that tortured corner of the world there is still time, though precious little time, to prevent a hideous conclusion to one of the most appalling tragedies of the terrible century that is winding to a horrifying, wrenching close."
After voting for independence from Indonesia the previous August, East Timor erupted into violence and bloodshed, with an estimated 1,400 civilians believed to have lost their lives at the hands of militia. In June 2000, a platoon from the 2nd Infantry Battalion, Dublin, replaced the special forces Army Ranger Wing, as the Irish contribution to the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET.) The soldiers were serving alongside troops from New Zealand in D Coy, NZBATT2. The Platoon was based in Taroman, a small village near the tense border region with West Timor and had responsibility for an area roughly the size of Kildare, achieved by routine foot patrols, with particular attention given to the border and securing safe passage for refugees. Patrols entered a high intensity period after an ambush in which one of their colleagues from New Zealand was killed in action. Irish troops were also asked to reinforce neighbouring areas, like when they came to the operational assistance of Nepalese troops after 3 of their number were killed in an ambush. This was a particularly challenging deployment and one that both the personnel involved and the wider Defence Forces learnt from. The Defence Forces continued to supply a platoon to East Timor until May 2004. This restored footage of the 2nd Infantry Battalion deployment shows them training, on patrol, liaising with refugees and tending to the medical attention of locals. Later they can be seen laughing and playing with East Timorese children, showing some light and humanity in one of the darkest political episodes of the last century.