$400 'reward' to kill a Kiwi soldier

Militia gangs are being offered up to $400 to kill New Zealand and Australian peacekeepers in East Timor, say United Nations officials.

Senior UN officers, quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald, said a bounty of between 1.5 million and 2 million rupiah ($365 to $390) was likely to have been paid to militia members who killed New Zealand soldier Private Leonard Manning.

"It was a bounty; payment was involved," one said.

The paper said the reward money was most likely being offered by senior officials in favour of East Timor returning to Indonesian control.

Many of them had become wealthy from holding political and military favour in Indonesian-controlled East Timor.

The "blood money" report comes amid signs that morale among New Zealand troops is under strain, and has appalled Foreign Minister Phil Goff, who called for those offering the rewards to be "tracked down."

Mr Goff, in Bangkok for Asia regional security talks, is to raise the issue with Indonesian Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab.

Mr Shihab has condemned the incident and said he would pursue the killers.

Private Manning, aged 24, was killed on Monday while on patrol near the border with Indonesian-controlled West Timor. His body was mutilated after he was slain.

Diplomatic sources said the Indonesian Government had offered to invite the New Zealand defence attachaacé in Jakarta to join in the murder investigation.

New Zealand has 660 troops in East Timor and Australia 1500.

New Zealand soldiers in East Timor say morale is suffering as communication and welfare worries add to the threat of militia attacks and a treacherous terrain.

One of two soldiers who wrote to the Weekend Herald from East Timor this week before the killing of Private Manning also said troops were concerned at a lack of effective night evacuation if someone was injured.

He said a civilian helicopter had refused to take out an injured soldier, and the Air Force Iroquois helicopters "appear not up to the task."

The anonymous accounts could not be independently verified but contained details in line with the conditions around the New Zealand peacekeeping base at Suai, near the border with West Timor.

One man, who signed himself "Concerned and Frustrated Soldier," said the New Zealanders were working in extreme conditions to help the Timorese rebuild their daily lives.

They faced 18- to 20-hour days, bland food, huge temperature fluctuations and plants and animals "that either feed from you or off you."

"Contrary to what you may be told, the threat is still very real and the militia very alive and active."



The soldier said conditions would be bearable if the troops were supported by a hierarchy and a Government "who actually gave a damn."

He said their Vietnam-era communications equipment was useless.

Both soldiers said the three to four weeks between mail drops was unacceptable, as were problems taking 10-day leave because of changing Air Force flight times.

The Army said yesterday that the issues had been raised previously, but it could not comment in detail until it had seen the letters.

* To send a message of support to the troops in East Timor - fax: 04-527 1081; e-mail: through the Army website; mail: Public Information Cell, Land Command, 2 Seddul Bahr Rd, Trentham.