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Hope amid ruins
1RAR soldiers are keeping the peace and spreading goodwill in troubled parts of paradise in eastern Timor-Leste, reports Cpl Corinne Boer.
Edition 1174, September 6, 2007 |
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Destruction: A soldier serving with the International Stabilisation Force walks through the burnt ruins of a house following a spate of violent protest in the eastern part of Timor-Leste.
Photos by LS Kade Rogers
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| Boots on the ground: 1RAR soldiers arrive in the eastern districts in response to an escalating threat of violence. |
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A Land Rover slides over the muddy tracks through the lush jungle, which is filled with coconut trees and dashes of bright bougainvillea.
The vehicle contains soldiers clad in webbing and helmets, and armed with Steyrs. They grip tightly to the vehicle’s roll bar as the four-wheel-drive negotiates the steep terrain.
The 1RAR soldiers are deployed to Uatolari in Timor-Leste’s east to conduct presence patrols.
Nestled among the tropical vegetation are tiny villages bearing evidence of the violence that recently plagued the area. The smell of smoke lingers as the patrol passes the charred remains of family homes. Some of the dwellings are simple one-room concrete structures with corrugated iron roofs, others are huts constructed of highly flammable bark and dried banana leaves.
The village children watch the soldiers cautiously as they jump out of the vehicle to inspect the charred shell of a home.
Corrugated iron, twisted from the intensity of the heat, lies among the ash beside the burnt-out remains of a pedal-powered sewing machine.
Gangs destroyed 280 houses in tit-for-tat payback between villages because of grievances that date back to Indonesian and Portuguese rule.
Next to the ruins are the orange and blue canvases families are using for temporary shelter. The Timorese are highly resilient and just a few short weeks after the destruction they have returned to begin reconstructing their homes.
Surveying the damage, Pte Kyle Genner says the area is a lot more peaceful now.
“There has been a lot of violence in recent times and people have been a bit jumpy and a bit nervous. We have just been getting out there and being seen by everyone and saying hello,” he says.
“The benefit we have provided to the local community is really just quelling a lot of fear that people had. No doubt people feel a lot safer with us being here. I believe it’s a positive thing.
“The majority of the time we get a pretty warm welcome, which is good to see. As with anywhere, there are mixed feelings, but 90 per cent of people want to see us, so we’ll be here for them.”
As the patrol continues they are greeted by pot-bellied kids running to the side of the road cheering and waving while their stern-faced parents look on. Their expressions break into friendly grins at a wave from one of the soldiers.
The dense vegetation clears to reveal a scenic coastline with emerald-green waters that gently lap against the pebbly beach strewn with coconut husks. Jagged mountains protrude in the background, their sheer cliff faces surrounded by low cloud. The soldiers stop momentarily to admire the beauty of this tiny island paradise.
They are based in a remote village and have set up camp in an old school building. Conditions are extremely basic as they bed down on a concrete floor, their sleep disturbed by confused roosters crowing at 2am and packs of dogs that howl and whimper throughout the night. They eat selectively from ration packs, which all taste the same after a few weeks, most opting for two-minute noodles.
During downtime, the conversation turns to food as the boys discuss the greasy hamburgers they will devour when they get back to Australia.
Conditions in the mountains are intensely humid, as opposed to Dili’s dry and dusty climate. The sporadic bouts of rain ensure the ground remains muddy and the soldiers’ uniforms are clingy and damp.
Most of the members of the platoon are aged between 18 and 22, and most completed their initial employment training in November.
Pte Matthew Woo is tasked with watching the accommodation as the soldiers play a game of soccer with the local kids and he smiles as two soldiers jog past with a group of children eagerly trotting after them.
“We haven’t seen any other reception other than a peaceful one here. The language barrier is a bit of a problem; we only know a few words of Tetum and the Timorese don’t speak very much English. I find a bit of sign language helps to get by,” Pte Woo says.
“Kids seem to love soldiers no matter where in the world we go. One of the main things Australian soldiers have to try is to be a good influence on the little ones. We want them to remember us as the good blokes and that we are not someone to hate and throw rocks at when they get older.”
He admires the surrounding beauty and says the best thing about Timor-Leste is getting out into the rural areas around the mountains and the beach.
“One of the first villages that we went to was such a beautiful place. We were overlooking a valley and we could see the coffee plantations and other crops,” he says.
“There was a dirt track that disappeared into the distance surrounded by tropical plants and trees that we don’t see in Australia.
“It was great watching the sun come up in the morning. It was a golden colour shining through the clouds. I thought it was really beautiful.” |
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