Longer stay on cards for Timor peace force

By STAFF REPORTER and AGENCIES

New Zealand troops could be stationed in East Timor beyond next year's scheduled withdrawal if pro-Jakarta militias are still running rampant on the border with Indonesia.

The main East Timor pro-independence group, the National Council of Timorese Resistance, wants a continued foreign military presence after the United Nations withdraws.

Senior official Jose Ramos-Horta said the international community had an obligation to help protect East Timor as long as militias based in Indonesian West Timor posed a threat.

Militia rebels killed a New Zealand soldier, Private Leonard Manning, last month in a cross-border raid into East Timor.

A Nepalese UN peacekeeper was killed in a clash two weeks ago.

Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff said last night that his preference was for most of the troops to be withdrawn by the middle of next year.

However, New Zealand would not want to leave East Timorese vulnerable to the militias.

"No commitments to retain troops after [next year] have been entered into ... but obviously if the militia threat continues [the UN force] is more likely to remain in place," said Mr Goff.

"I think you have always got to say there needs to be some degree of flexibility if there is a dramatic change in circumstances and we would obviously listen to any request, but no such request has been made at this point."

Mr Goff said New Zealand was pushing Indonesia to deal with the refugee camps on the border where problems exist with militia groups.

Militia activity has increased to coincide with the first anniversary of the UN-brokered ballot that saw the eastern half of Timor island vote to split from Indonesia after more than 23 years of often brutal rule.

Pro-Jakarta militias rampaged after the vote, killing hundreds, leaving much of East Timor in ruins and forcing thousands to flee to refugee camps in West Timor.

Mr Ramos-Horta said: "So long as we have [the militias] it is an obligation of the international community to face the challenge, the threat by keeping in East Timor a number of battalions beyond independence."

The militias operate from the refugee camps, where Indonesian troops and police have failed to halt their activities.

Mr Ramos-Horta said he had received a copy of a letter from US President Bill Clinton to Indonesian leader Abdurrahman Wahid accusing the Indonesian military of involvement.

"President Clinton himself accused former and even active members of Kopassus special forces of continuing to support the militias," said Mr Ramos-Horta.

The head of the UN transitional authority in East Timor, Sergio Vieira de Mello, said he expected that a request for an extended presence would be approved if the militias continued to pose a threat.

Australia and New Zealand would most likely provide the bulk of any force, which would be smaller than the almost 8000-strong UN contingent.


Herald Online feature: the Timor mission

UN Transitional Administration in E Timor