ABSTRACT
When clashes of armed groups and violent acts occur, people on opposing sides perceive events through their own prisms, interpret how these events took place and reach conclusions that are different from each other. The gap between appearance and reality becomes critical in addressing the causes of conflict and finding solutions. The armed conflicts that occurred in Timor-Leste since the withdrawal of Indonesian troops in 1999 were relatively minor, in comparison with the large-scale massacres and genocide that had taken place in other parts of the world. However, it is worth reviewing the security incidents of April and May 2006, to understand the complexity of behaviours and actions that reflected the motives and intentions of various players. The security incidents of April and May 2006 compelled the Security Council to reverse its decision, reinstituting a peacekeeping mission known as the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) in August 2006.
