Editing History of Timor-Leste (section)

===2006 crisis===
{{Main article|2006 East Timorese crisis}}

Unrest started in the country in April 2006 following riots in Dili. A rally in support of 600 East Timorese soldiers, who were dismissed for deserting their barracks, turned into rioting where five people were killed and over 20,000 fled their homes. Fierce fighting between pro-government troops and disaffected Falintil troops broke out in May 2006.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Head |first=Jonathan |date=24 May 2006 |title=Analysis: E Timor's security woes |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5012640.stm |access-date=29 June 2006 |archive-date=2 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402143859/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5012640.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> While unclear, the motives behind the fighting appeared to be the distribution of oil funds and the poor organisation of the Timorese army and police, which included former Indonesian-trained police and former Timorese rebels. Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri called the violence a "coup" and welcomed offers of foreign military assistance from several nations.<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 May 2006 |title=Unrest linked to failed coup: Timor PM |work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |agency=AAP |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/australia-cant-find-timor-leaders/2006/05/25/1148524816847.html |access-date=29 June 2006 |archive-date=12 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070212083550/http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/australia-cant-find-timor-leaders/2006/05/25/1148524816847.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="RTE.ie">{{Cite news |date=25 May 2006 |title=Australian troops arrive in East Timor |work=RTE |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0525/76632-easttimor/ |access-date=2 May 2020 |archive-date=30 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730220513/https://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0525/76632-easttimor/ |url-status=live }}</ref> As of 25 May 2006, Australia, Portugal, New Zealand, and Malaysia sent troops to Timor, attempting to quell the violence.<ref name="RTE.ie" /><ref>{{Cite news |title=Malaysia to send troops to East Timor |url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=qw1148547965206B254 |date=25 May 2006 |website=IOL.co.za |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214124539/https://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=3&art_id=qw1148547965206B254 |archive-date=2009-02-14}}</ref> At least 23 deaths occurred as a result of the violence.

On 21 June 2006, President Xanana Gusmão formally requested Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri step down. A majority of Fretilin party members demanded the prime minister's resignation, accusing him of lying about distributing weapons to civilians.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2006-06-21 |title=Timor PM likely to resign tomorrow |work=Sydney Morning Herald |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/timor-pm-likely-to-resign-tomorrow/2006/06/21/1150845238271.html |access-date=29 June 2006 |archive-date=12 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070212083701/http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/timor-pm-likely-to-resign-tomorrow/2006/06/21/1150845238271.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On 26 June 2006 Prime Minister [[Mari Alkatiri]] resigned stating, "I declare I am ready to resign my position as prime minister of the government... so as to avoid the resignation of His Excellency the President of the Republic". In August, rebel leader [[Alfredo Reinado]] escaped from Becora Prison, in Dili. Tensions were later raised after armed clashes between youth gangs forced the closure of [[Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport]] in late October.<ref>{{Cite news |date=25 October 2005 |title=Deadly clashes erupt in E Timor |work=[[Al Jazeera Arabic|Al Jazeera]] |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/597D41F8-AB46-400E-9E2E-45C187D549EA.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070901034157/http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/597D41F8-AB46-400E-9E2E-45C187D549EA.htm |archive-date=2007-09-01}}</ref>

In April 2007, Gusmão declined another presidential term. In the build-up to the [[East Timorese presidential election, 2007|April 2007 presidential elections]] there were renewed outbreaks of violence in February and March 2007. [[José Ramos-Horta]] was inaugurated as [[President of Timor-Leste|president]] on 20 May 2007, following his election win in the second round.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Deutsch |first=Anthony |date=5 July 2007 |title=East Timor May Be Becoming Failed State |work=Guardian Unlimited |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6759703,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113222417/http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6759703,00.html |archive-date=13 January 2008}}</ref> Gusmão was sworn in as prime minister on 8 August 2007. President Ramos-Horta was critically injured in [[2008 East Timor coup attempt|an assassination attempt]] on 11 February 2008, in a failed coup apparently perpetrated by [[Alfredo Reinado]], a renegade soldier who died in the attack. Prime Minister Gusmão also faced gunfire separately but escaped unharmed. The Australian government immediately sent reinforcements to Timor-Leste to keep order.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7238142.stm |title=BBC News |date=11 February 2008 |access-date=28 March 2010 |archive-date=14 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914203716/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7238142.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

A 2009 law (Law No 3/2009) set out the legal responsibilities of ''suco'' administrators, assigning the formal responsibility of relaying government initiatives, and of mediating within their community. This formal power did not override traditional customary practices, with traditional leaders retaining acknowledged informal influence.<ref name="Scambary2021"/>{{rp|282}}