Timor peacekeepers farewelled as 'epitome of modern force'

3.00pm

SUAI, East Timor - New Zealand troops serving as peacekeepers in East Timor have set a benchmark for others to follow, says a senior Australian soldier.

"You have been a very easy mob to work with," Colonel Wayne Bowen told New Zealand soldiers yesterday as they prepared to leave Timor after three years of United Nations peacekeeping.

"You have been the epitome of a modern force doing peace security operations," he said during a cultural evening in Suai last night to farewell the New Zealand troops from NZ Battalion 6 and welcome the Thai and Singaporean soldiers who will take over patrolling the border between East Timor and West Timor.

"You have done magnificently well and you can rest assured you have done those to the highest standards and those standards are now enduring."

Col Bowen told the New Zealanders they had set the benchmark that others would have to follow.

"Go home and be very proud of your achievements." he said.

New Zealand's role as UN peacekeepers in East Timor officially ended today after three years.

After a brief ceremony, a plaque was unveiled at the Suai Cathedral and Battalion 6 lowered its flag for the last time and handed control of Sector West Cova Lima district, to the Thai army.

New Zealand has been patrolling the Cova Lima district, keeping the border with West Timor secure and ensuring local people were free of the threat from pro-Indonesian militia forces, since October 1999.

Today Defence Minister Mark Burton unveiled the plaque commemorating the role the New Zealand troops played in bringing peace to the area.

Mr Burton also laid a wreath to all the United Nations-led peacekeepers and the people of East Timor who died since August 1999 when the country voted overwhelmingly for independence from Indonesia.

Last night's farewell was a night of mixed emotions for the New Zealand soldiers, including the commanding officer of the final battalion of troops to leave East Timor, Lieutenant Colonel Dean Baigent.

During the ceremony Lt Col Baigent was presented with a ceremonial taise or scarf as a gesture of enduring friendship.

"I am quite honoured to have commanded the last group but I am also quite relieved to have got through it and bring home all 560 I brought up here. That is a great relief."

Lt Col Baigent said New Zealand soldiers were leaving a lot of good friends and had made their mark, especially with the Australian soldiers.

"They have a true high professional regard for the New Zealanders. They know we don't blink and we step up to it and if anything comes we will deal with it."

Since a week or so before the Bali bombings the New Zealand soldiers have been on a higher state of alert after a general threat that some part of the South-East Asia area would become a terrorist target.

Soldiers have not been allowed to go for a daily run outside the compound in Suai and have been told to keep a higher level of awareness.

"I didn't want to get caught out," Lt Col Baigent said.

The threat from armed militia groups intent on destabilising East Timor had gone but some of the group may still be involved in illegal activities such as trading in stolen goods, cattle rustling.

About 15,000 refugees are thought to have living still across the border in West Timor although some of those had made their home there and had no intention of coming back.

Since the New Zealand troops arrived in East Timor in September, 1999, more than 4000 have been deployed in six rotations.

"I am very proud of what the guys have done but it is a good time to leave," he said.

"The measure for me is as to why it is a good time to leave is that the kids are still saying 'Kia Ora'. They are still waving, they are still smiling, and the are still grateful for what we are doing here.

"How long that will last, who knows? But it is nice to be leaving when that is still happening around us," Lt Col Baigent said.

About 200 troops returned to New Zealand last week and the remainder were due to be out by early next month.

The "TET offensive" -- the theatre extraction team -- would probably stay in East Timor until just before Christmas, cleaning and preparing hundreds of thousands of items of equipment to meet New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and customs requirements.

The gear includes at least 10 armoured personnel carriers which have broken down and been stripped for spares.

The carriers could be sold to an American company which specialises in refurbishing them.

- NZPA

Further reading
Feature: Indonesia and East Timor

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