Despite the significant Chinese Government presence in East Timor, the Australian Government has cut the Australian military presence in East Timor from 650 to about 400, with a corresponding decrease in the size of the International Stabilisation Force, established in the wake of the civil war which erupted in 2006.In 2006, units of East Timor’s defence force went on strike and were sacked, while other units, loyal to the Fretilin Government led by self-styled communist Mari Alkatiri, turned th…
