Killings fail to reduce militias' border breaches

Roaming militia groups continue to terrorise the East Timorese, despite the threat of being shot dead by UN troops.

Three militiamen have been shot dead by New Zealand peacekeepers in the past two months.

The latest was killed in attacks two days ago near Suai, close to the West Timor border.

"They certainly know we're there," NZ Joint Force Commander Brigadier Jerry Mateparae said yesterday. "They have been so used to doing things as they've always done them, so a bit of it is habit."

The militia groups, who went on a campaign of destruction in East Timor after it voted for independence from Indonesia last year, are now based in West Timor and make regular incursions into East Timor.

No New Zealand soldiers were injured in the last two attacks.



The first firefight happened after 10 New Zealand soldiers, settled for the night while on patrol, saw three men approaching their position aggressively.

The militiamen were armed and firing began when they were within about 20m of the New Zealanders.

Following procedure, soldiers waited until daylight before investigating the scene.

They found a militiaman's body, armed with a military-style SKS assault rifle, and wearing camouflage gear.

Brigadier Mateparae said the man's body would be taken to Suai and handed to civilian police.

In the second exchange, a single militiaman entered the area and was shot at, but escaped.

Three months ago, Waikato soldier Private Leonard Manning was killed in a fight with militiamen.

The 24-year-old was shot dead after his patrol ran into the armed group near the West Timor border.

New Zealand soldiers also killed militiamen during firefights on September 26 and October 7.

Brigadier Mateparae said shooting the militiamen was a last resort but the rules of engagement allowed United Nations troops to protect themselves.

When a New Zealand patrol intercepted a militia group from West Timor last week, the commanding officer tried to distribute pamphlets suggesting they give up.

"The firefight is the last resort. It's not the only thing we are doing," Brigadier Mateparae said.

The East Timorese were becoming used to foreign troops and a rewarding relationship had developed between soldiers and locals.

Before the latest firefight, villagers had alerted the New Zealanders to armed militia in the area.

"What the local East Timorese are now finding is that people in uniform don't necessarily want to terrorise or harass them."

- NZPA

Herald Online feature: Timor mission

UN Transitional Administration in E Timor