Description

2000(Nov) envelope to New Plymouth bearing NZ 40c & 40c tied in transit Darwin d/s [5 Nov] & with Taranaki Mail Ctr d/s [16 Nov] & circular 11/1 RNZIR BN GP/7 NOV 2000/EAST TIMOR hand stamp……. (On 30 Aug 1999 a referendum was held to decide between Special Autonomy within Indonesia or Independence. 78% voted for independence but violence broke out soon afterwards fueled by the Indonesian military & Timoresse pro Indonesian militias. A peacekeeping force INTERFET (International Emergency Relief for East Timor) led by Australian forces intervened to restore order)