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| Striving to keep peace Edition 1162, March 22, 2007 |
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Security was restored in the town of Same, south of Dili, after Australian-led International Security Forces (ISF) moved to apprehend fugitive Maj Alfredo Reinado and his supporters on March 4. Brig Mal Rerden, JTF631 CO, said during the operation five armed Timorese men were killed “when they posed an immediate threat to the lives of the ISF members involved”. Brig Rerden said the operation – carried out in response to the formal request of the Timor-Leste Government – aimed to reduce the threat to stability posed by Maj Reinado and his associates. When Army went to press, Maj Reinado remained a fugitive. Brig Rerden said some members of Maj Reinado’s group were “armed with a variety of traditional and military-style weapons”. “Any group illegally possessing weapons poses a threat to both the ISF and the citizens of Timor-Leste,” he said. He said there had been a few isolated incidents across Dili in the aftermath of the operation in Same, but these had been managed by the UN Police. As stated by a UN spokeswoman in Dili, the “situation is fragile and potentially volatile, but it’s not uncontrollable”, he said. “The ISF continues to pursue its mission of assisting the UN and Government of Timor-Leste in improving the security environment,” Brig Rerden said. “The priority of the ISF is to help … stabilise the environment in preparation for the conduct of democratic elections. “We treat all people in the street the same way and if people are pursuing violence then we will deal with them regardless of who they are and where they’re from.” Related stories |
