True Blue December 2019
the Gleno UN staff. (The pilot later reported that, just prior to take-off, the helicopter had been hit by several rounds). Elise was standing to my right-hand side. I pushed her down behind some bushes, told her to stay down and that I would come back for her shortly. She did exactly as instructed and was calm and professional throughout. In the confusion, one of the ballot boxes was dropped and spilt several ballot papers onto the ground. Due to the downdraught from the helicopter the papers were ‘whipped up’ and were literally flying through the air. Several of the Civpol Officers managed to grab hold of the voting slips, which were later put back into the damaged box and returned to Dili, along with the rest of the boxes. (We were later informed that only a handful of ballot papers were lost). I then moved forward with Morro and stood with him and most of the other Civpol, where they had remained, standing adjacent to the UN LandRovers. The blue Ballot boxes (plus the white sacks containing the paperwork from the vote) were still stacked around the rear of the Land Rovers on the riverbed. Other boxes were still in the rear of the vehicles and/or on the higher ground of the riverbank. Geoff Hazel (centre sitting) conducting a briefing held inside Polri compound on the day they announced the ballot result.
Almost immediately, I saw several Civpol Officers turn to look away from the helicopter and back towards the dry Riverbed. At the same moment, I heard the sound of shots coming from the far side of the dry riverbed. The sound of the helicopter obviously drowned out voices and some of the shots. AFP Civpol Officer Paul Morris (Morro) was the closest Civpol to me at that point and was shouting something. The only word (apart from swear words) I could make out was ‘Militia!’. I looked up and across the riverbed and could see around 30-40 men running towards our position from the field at the far side of the riverbed. (Around 400 metres away). Despite the noise of the helicopter’s engines, shots could now clearly be heard from the direction of the riverbed. The different sounds of gunfire suggested mainly the ‘Rakitans’ (home-made, hand-held guns) but numerous sporadic shots sounded very much like modern firearms. As the militia ran towards the helicopter and the ballot boxes, they were firing their guns in the air. As per standard procedure the pilot, quite rightly, lifted off and we were left on the ground along with
Most of the Civpol present simply stood their ground, in a loose line, in an attempt to protect the ballot boxes from the militia. I recall seeing Geoff Hazel walk away from our position towards the middle of the Riverbed and, bravely, towards the advancing the militia. Geoff had his arms outstretched with his palms facing downwards, in a calming manner, showing that we offered no threat. Rocks and stones where thrown in our direction and several of the militia were waving machetes in the air. Other militia members were carrying home-made, handheld guns (Rakitans). Several of the Rakitans were fired in our general direction, but as they were so inaccurate the lead shot could have gone anywhere. (Although I didn’t realise at the time Geoff Hazel was shot in the arm and had to have several small lead pellets removed later that day). Several of the Civpol Officers in the line the boxes, picked up rocks with which to defend themselves. AFP Officer Don Barnby (Barney) describes picking up a large piece of wood, intending to use it as a club. Unfortunately, the wood was rotten, and it simply crumbled in Barney’s hands. The militia on the riverbed seemed confused and surprised that the UN Civpol had not simply run away
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