HOBART: 19th June 2006 -- In the developing strategy by
international forces to assist East Timor to overcome immediate
problems resulting from an uprising by dissident army members and the
consequent breakdown of law and order in Dili and surrounds, Australia
has agreed to send Commonwealth Police and police from several of its
States who have had prior experience in East Timor and the Solomon
Islands. Tasmania is sending twelve of its police - after
briefings in Canberra they will depart on Thursday for East
Timor. Tasmania, Australia's island State, has an area of some
68,000 square kilometres and a population of around half a
million. East Timor has an area of some 15,000 square kilometres
and a population of one million.
Meanwhile the United Nations Refugee Committe
(UNHCR), meeting in Geneva on Friday, reports that it has begun direct
operations to help the thousands of internal refugees brought about by
recent chaos. It has begun gathering information on the situation
of refugees not only in Dili itself but elsewhere beyond the capital.
In Dili itself there are three main refugee camps -
one near the airport, another at the national stadium and the third at
Don Bosco Comoro. The UNHCR has begun to assist in enlarging the
facilities at Don Bosco, according to its Geneva communique, erecting
72 tents and finding a site for a further 24. This is a clear
indication that despite recent successes in getting dissident troops to
hand over weapons, ordinary people are still afraid of reprisals by
gangs, or have no safe place to return to. The UNHCR recognises
the value of foreign troop patrols in the vicinity of these camps, to
ensure safety of refugees, but expresses concern that the ordinary
law-enforcing capacity of the nation has not yet recovered. At
least a dozen local police loyal to the Government of Prime Minister
Alkatiri were killed during the uprising. Australia's provision of
experienced police is in the belief that it is a strong, well-trained
and effective police force, rather than troops, which will steady the
nation in its course to recovery.
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