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| International-UN-NGOs |
| Security council approves Timor mission |
| 2006-08-25 |
| THE Security Council has set up a new UN mission for restive East Timor overnight for at least six months to help restore security and steer the tiny Pacific territory toward next year's polls. The 15-member body unanimously approved a Japanese resolution that establishes the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) for an initial six months "with the intention to renew for further periods." It decided that UNMIT would consist of a civilian component, including up to 1608 police personnel, and, initially, up to 34 military liaison and staff officers. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan earlier this month asked the Security Council to approve a year-long mission in East Timor in the wake of May's violence, which left at least 21 people dead and saw the deployment of some 3,200 Australian-led foreign peacekeepers. The overnight vote came as the mandate of the current small UN mission expired while the situation in the former Indonesian province remained fragile in the wake of May's violence in the capital Dili. The resolution directs Mr Annan to review arrangements to be made between UNMIT and international peacekeepers, including a status-of-forces agreement to be concluded within 30 days, and to present his views no later than October 25. "The council shall consider possible adjustments in the mission structure, including the nature and size of the military component, taking into account the above views of the secretary general," it added. Ghana's UN Ambassador Nana Effah-Apenteng, the Security Council president for August, said the resolution showed that "The UN is not abandoning them (the Timorese)." "The only thing that is missing is the military component (which) is being handled through bilateral means," he said. Mr Effah-Apenteng said council members could not agree on including a military component in the resolution and said it was therefore dropped "in the interest of arriving at a consensus on a text." Australia, which has some 1500 troops and 200 police in the multinational force which also which includes contingents from Malaysia, New Zealand and Portugal, has insisted on remaining in charge of military security in East Timor. The resolution said UNMIT would assist East Timor in conducting "a comprehensive review of the future role and needs of the security forces" and in building its capacity "in areas where specialized expertise is required, such as the justice sector." The new UN mission was also tasked with promoting a "compact" between the territory and the international community for coordinating aid from the government, the United Nations and other multilateral and bilateral donors to priority programs. The May violence was initially triggered by the dismissal of 600 soldiers, which led to protests and eventual factional fighting within the security forces. Communal violence also exploded on Dili's streets. Small-scale violence continues to plague the capital, with two Australian policemen injured Tuesday when they tried to break up fighting gangs, who also destroyed three of their vehicles. Timorese Prime Minister Jose Ramos Horta had repeatedly requested an expanded UN role in the tiny country. At least 150,000 people in the nation of about one million are estimated by the UN to remain in makeshift camps, still too uncertain of the security situation to return to their homes. One of the world's youngest and poorest countries, East Timor became independent in 2002 after voting in 1999 to end 24 years of Indonesian rule. It was administered by the United Nations during the interim period, which quickly scaled down its operations after independence. |
| Posted by:Oztralian |