Hundreds of NZ troops injured in Timor

By FRANCESCA MOLD political reporter

More than 650 New Zealand soldiers serving in East Timor have been injured in the past two years, with 82 brought home for medical reasons.

Act MP Rodney Hide has obtained figures from Defence Minister Mark Burton showing that 653 soldiers have been wounded or injured in East Timor - an average of just over six a week since the Timor assignment began in October 1999.

Sport and recreational accidents accounted for 173 injuries, 20 were from motor vehicle crashes, 342 were work training incidents and 18 happened during hostile action. A further 100 fell into the "other" injuries category.

In answer to parliamentary questions from Mr Hide, Mr Burton said the statistics included New Zealanders and international members of the NZ Battalion Group. Injuries varied from bruising to fatal wounds.

The figures did not include New Zealand soldiers based in Dili because they were treated at the United Nations medical facilities and these statistics had not been collated.

Mr Hide said the figures showed that New Zealand's defence forces had been run down. He understood the main problem was inadequate training, although there had initially been some concerns about the quality of the weapons being used in East Timor.

He said soldiers were having to make up for their lack of training in New Zealand by continuing when they arrived in Timor.

He believed the Anzus Treaty should be reactivated so New Zealand soldiers could train with allied forces.

"If we're asking troops to go to hot spots we need to ensure they have had the support and training they need."

New Zealand First defence spokesman Ron Mark, a former soldier, said he was concerned that not enough time was being spent on conventional training at home because of the heavy deployment in East Timor.

Another concern was the low level of live-fire training, which had contributed to a poor state of readiness.

Mr Mark said New Zealand's battalions were about half the strength they should be.

"That contributes to poor preparation and that's the reason we're sending guys back for their second tour and some for their third.

"We've got to ask how much longer we're going to stay in East Timor for what is going to become an increasingly benign operation.

"And what is the effect of that going to be on training today's soldiers and tomorrow's soldiers for conventional warfare operations?"

Mr Mark said East Timor was becoming "the reason for being" and it should not be that way.

The figures also showed three soldiers were injured in East Timor because a weapon was accidentally fired. There have been 100 unauthorised discharges by New Zealand soldiers in Timor.

It was also revealed that 182 soldiers have accidentally fired their weapons during Army training in the past two years.

Mr Burton did not provide figures on how many soldiers were injured as a result. All 182 were charged under the Armed Forces Discipline Act and found guilty.

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