[Kabar-indonesia] 50,000 Dili Homeless Raise Security Fears: UN

[Joyo at aol.com]

United Nations  
Press Release
Friday, 13 October 2006

Timor-Leste: Restoring Public Security 
Is Absolute Necessity, UN Officials Say

With over 50,000 internally displaced people still living in makeshift camps 
in and around Timor-Leste's capital, continued low level fighting in the 
streets and elections due next year, United Nations officials today said that 
restoring public security was an absolute necessity.

"The United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) believes very 
firmly that impunity must end, that crimes and acts of violence should not go 
unchecked," Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Acting Special Representative Finn 
Reske-Nielsen told a news conference in Dili, capital of the small South E?st 
Asian nation that was torn by fighting earlier this year.

"The need to restore public security in Timor-Leste is evident to all," he 
added. "This is necessary so that people feel safe to return to their homes. It 
is necessary for rule of law and to prevent impunity. It is also necessary so 
that elections next year will be safe and fair."

The Security Council created the expanded UNMIT in August to help restore 
order in the country that it shepherded to independence from Indonesia just four 
years ago, after a crisis attributed to differences between eastern and 
western regions erupted in April with the firing of 600 striking soldiers, a third 
of the armed forces.

Ensuing violence claimed at least 37 lives and drove 155,000 people, 15 per 
cent of the total population, from their homes.

"While the United Nations police has an interim responsibility for public 
security throughout Timor-Leste, the goal is to actually ensure that this country 
will possess an effective and trustworthy (national) police service in the 
future," UNMIT Acting Police Commissioner Antero Lopes told the news conference. 

The national police force disintegrated in May and its members are currently 
undergoing a rigorous screening process. Once cleared, they will be 
reactivated to work in tandem with UN Police (UNPol) officers. When the whole screening 
process is completed, the combined total of UNPol and national police will be 
5,000, a ratio of five officers to every 1,000 citizens, which Mr. Lopes said 
is one of the highest in the world. 

"In a matter of weeks, we should have the full establishment throughout 
greater Dili and we should start expanding to the districts throughout 
Timor-Leste," he added, noting that the international Joint Task Force made of troops from 
Australia, Malaysia and New Zealand has been providing back up support to 
UNPol when necessary. 

Colonel Malcolm Rerden from the Joint Task Force, referring to concerns over 
weapons handed out to civilians during the crisis, said an audit by the 
international police and military had confirmed the location and security of nearly 
94 per cent of the missing arms. Of nearly 3,000 weapons, less than 230 remain 
unaccounted for, posing no significant threat, he said. 

UNMIT's mandate calls for a robust police presence consisting of up to 1,608 
officers, 34 military liaison officers and a significant civilian staff.

Addressing Timor-Leste's parliament yesterday, Mr. Reske-Nielsen called for 
speedy approval of vital electoral legislation. Supporting the poll is part of 
UNMIT's mandate. Although it will not run the elections - that will be the job 
of the Timorese government - the UN will provide technical help and policy 
advice. More than 400 UN staff will be fielded across the country to help.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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