Fact Sheet

AUSTRALIAN UNITED NATIONS MILITARY OBSERVERS (UNMO) IN EAST TIMOR

There are seven Australian United Nations Military Observers (UNMO) in East Timor. Their role includes:

• Facilitating the management of the border between East and West Timor
• Monitoring and reporting on the security environment within East Timor
• Liaising and assisting the East Timorese security agencies

The Australian UNMOs are currently based throughout East Timor in the districts of Viqueque, Cova Lima, Bobonaro, Aileu and Oecussi.

The UNMOs work as part of a multinational team. Each team has three UNMOs and a specified area of operations.

Unlike other troops in East Timor, the UNMOs buy their own food, rent their own accommodation and live as part of the community in which they are based.

Each day the UNMOs patrol their area of operations and meet with the village chiefs in order to determine valuable information, such as the number of children that attend primary school and secondary school, the amount of food the village has and most importantly on information about the security situation.

The information that the UNMOs gather therefore creates a detailed picture of life in East Timor for the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET).

view imagery of UNMOs in East Timor