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INTERFET (East Timor, 1999-2001)

International Force for East Timor

Last modified: 2003-03-01 by antonio martins
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[INTERFET flag]
by Jan Oskar Engene, 20 Feb 2000
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  • Here, a photo of the INTERFET flag.
    Jarig Bakker, 24 Feb 2000

Presentation

INTERFET (International Force for East Timor) is merely a military mission and it’s successor (known here as the phase III of the agreement between Portugal and Indonesia) will have also administrative powers, which INTERFET does not have.
Jorge Candeias, 20 Oct 1999

Wednesday Feb. 23, 2000, the U.N. takes over military command of East Timor from INTERFET.
quoted by Jarig Bakker, 24 Feb 2000

In February this year INTERFET has gradually handed over military responsibilities to UNTAET, the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor, a process marked by a series of ceremonies which involved lowering of the INTERFET flag, raising of the UN flag and “re-hatting” of military personnel (they changed head gear to UN blue berets).
Jan Oskar Engene, 20 Feb 2000


Description

On the image above I have assumed that the flag is 1:2 in ratio and that the emblem is centered on the field.
Jan Oskar Engene, 20 Feb 2000

I do not think we should put much emphasis on the exclusion of the exclave [Ocussi Ambeno] in the flag design. INTERFET did in fact occupy it and control has been handed over to the new United Nations civilian and military administration which will prepare the whole of East Timor, including the exclave, for the future.
Jan Oskar Engene, 20 Feb 2000


Australian version

Photographs taken at the final transfer ceremony in Dili show a flag identified as the INTERFET flag but different from the well known one This flag has a green field and at least one or two white stars (six pointed) in addition to a golden yellow emblem (?) with an inscription. The flag was folded in both photos I came across, so it is impossible to describe the flag further. Associated Press reported that the flag was handed over to Maj. Gen. Cosgrove, the INTERFET commander. One guess — and only a guess — would be that this latest flag would be the flag of the commander, another guess that there were different flags for the zones that the INTERFET force divided East Timor into. In any case we need better sources than news reports to get be able to say something with more certainty about the flags of INTERFET.
Jan Oskar Engene, 23 Feb 2000