Violence flares in East Timor

Just days after East Timor celebrated its fourth anniversary of independence, violence flared in the tiny nation yesterday, with one person killed and seven wounded in gun battles between soldiers and disgruntled former members of the security forces.

Australia and New Zealand put troops on stand-by to help restore calm, if requested. A platoon of about 30 troops at Burnham near Christchurch are ready to head to the troubled nation.

Australia, which led the United Nations force that ended the bloodshed sparked by the pro-independence ballot in 1999, said it had also prepared naval vessels and aircraft.

East Timor, which was ruled by Indonesia for 24 years and before that was a Portuguese colony, has been plagued by unrest lately.

Five people died last month when a protest by former soldiers in the capital, Dili, turned into a riot.

Cars were torched and more than 100 homes and businesses destroyed, with government offices among the buildings attacked.

The trouble was sparked by the dismissal of nearly 600 soldiers - one-third of the army - who had gone on strike, complaining of discrimination and poor working conditions.

At rallies in Dili, they were joined by protesters with broader grievances.

Post-independence euphoria has given way to anger and disillusion, with the nation still mired in grinding poverty.

The ex-soldiers are now camped out in the hills surrounding Dili, where their numbers have been bolstered by renegade military police.

Yesterday some of them descended to the city outskirts where, according to the government, they opened fire on unarmed regular troops, ambushing them twice in the eastern district of Becora.

Troops and police then tried to apprehend the gunmen and, in the ensuing clashes, one soldier was killed, and five soldiers and a policeman were injured.

One ex-soldier was also badly hurt.

A government commission has been established to examine the former soldiers' claim that they were passed over for promotions because they came from the west of the country, while the military leadership originated in the east.

Tens of thousands of people fled Dili last month, fearing further violence after the riots, during which security forces fired into the crowd.

Many residents have yet to return.

Many East Timorese are unhappy with the government of Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, which they say has failed to deliver jobs and improved living standards.

Mr Alkatiri last week survived an attempt to unseat him during a meeting of the ruling Fretilin party.

Australia is concerned about its northern neighbour.

The Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, told parliament yesterday that it was "ready to offer assistance to East Timor if it's needed".

He said the latest reports suggested that parts of the country were "descending into violence".

The government warned Australians not to travel to East Timor, due to the "extremely dangerous security situation".

UN peacekeepers left East Timor a year ago, and the remaining mission of 130 administrators, police and military advisors was due to depart on May 20th.

That has been postponed for a month.

- INDEPENDENT