56 President resign be replaced by President Habibi, who was open to autonomy for the East Timorese. Back in Darwin, a certain vibe had welcomed the new year of 1999 in. Australia had enjoyed a period of peace for many years at this point in history and so the ADF’s involvement in international concerns at this time was rather minimal compared to the operational theatres of previous decades. The sporadic trip to Somalia or other peacekeeping operations weren’t unheard of at this time, but those opportunities were officer centric. That began to change in 1999 and as early as February it was clear to the upper echelons of the 103rd Battery that something could be brewing as lead in training began developing from thin air. For those outside the know, the BC included, a feeling or a vibe gripped the Brigade that something was about to go down but nobody was sure what. The UN began talking about a referendum for East Timor and not long after more exercise activity happened, especially in nearby Darwin. These activities began ramping up until they switched gears and a focus on peacekeeping operations came into play. International pressure for a referendum for East Timor grew and on August 30th The UN oversaw a ballot for independence. 78% of the East Timorese population vote for independence and the transition was set to begin. The Indonesian militias, supported by Indonesian security forces, who terrorised the local population preceding the vote suddenly respond with more brutal attacks. They detain and kill thousands over the three weeks following the vote. The violence following the referendum finally made it clear to the 103rd Battery as to why everybody had been sensing something on the horizon, however it still wasn’t clear what kind of role they would be required to play. The violence suggested the need for an infantry style role, but the UN’s jurisdiction spoke to the need for peacekeepers. 3 RAR and 2/4 are the first to deploy alongside
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