June 29 2006
More New Zealand Troops For Timor
More than 50 New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel will depart for
Timor-Leste on Saturday 1st July.
Soldiers from the 2/1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, at Burnham, and logistics personnel from Linton
Camp will fly out on Saturday morning onboard a RNZAF Boeing 757.
Burnham based soldiers will depart from Christchurch Airport, RNZAF Air Movements Terminal at 9.00am. The soldiers from
Linton Camp will depart from RNZAF Base Ohakea at 11.25am
The soldiers will replace troops who deployed to Timor-Leste with the outbreak of violence at the end of May and
maintain the presence of 170 New Zealand Defence Force personnel deployed in the region.
The New Zealand contingent in Timor is making a real difference says Commander Joint Force New Zealand, Rear Admiral
Jack Steer.
“We will continue the work of assisting the Government of Timor-Leste in stabilizing their country and by providing
support and protection to the local people”, he said.
Background Information
An update of key NZDF activities in Timor-Leste (www.nzdf.mil.nz)
27 June 2006- The Prime Minister Helen Clark announces 25 NZ Police will be sent to East Timor in the next couple of
weeks. The NZ Police will be armed and will work alongside the NZ troops and Australian federal police.
20 June 2006- A warning shot was fired by a NZ patrol after encountering an armed crowd who refused to disarm and
disperse when directed to do so. The crowd appeared to be threatening a local interpreter accompanying the patrol. The
crowd dispersed when the warning shot was fired.
14 June 2006- A NZ soldier while on patrol received a superficial leg wound after being hit by a dart fired by a group
of youths as the patrol went to disperse them.
8 June 2006- Defence Minister Phil Goff promises New Zealand troops stationed in Timor Leste will remain as long as it
takes to help provide stability. He says while troops can provide some security, they may need to be supported by an
international community policing presence.
7 June 2006- Defence Minister Phil Goff and Defence Sectretary Graham Fortune make a brief visit to Timor Leste to meet
with NZDF personnel working in Dili. They also meet Timor Leste Defence Minister Jose Ramos Horta and other key leaders
to discuss problems leading to the recent crisis.
2 June 2006- Eight New Zealand Army Military Police deployed to Timor Leste to assist in establishing law and order in
the troubled region. The Military
Police are providing security to the New Zealand Embassy and to the Ambassador and her staff which will allow them to go
about their work liaising with other agencies in response to the relief efforts in Dili.
31 May 2006- A further 123 New Zealand troops arrived in Timor Leste, with four New Zealand Pinzgauer Light Operational
vehicles. The deployment of the Delta Company soldiers increases the NZDF presence in Timor Leste to 162.
30 May 2006- A 14-member NZDF planning team is based in Sydney, working alongside their Australian counterparts to
determine tasks to be undertaken by the New Zealanders, and ensure the contingent fits smoothly into the international
coalition.
29 May 2006- A 42-strong NZDF contingent secures the New Zealand embassy in Dili, protecting the New Zealand Ambassador
and other personnel.
27 May 2006- A further 124 soldiers from 2/1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment travel to Townsville,
Australia, prior to deploying to Timor Leste.
26 May 2006- The Prime Minister, Helen Clark announces the New Zealand government is dispatching an RNZAF 757, a
Hercules C130 and New Zealand Army personnel to Darwin
25 May 2006- Following riots, gunfights, looting and burning in Dili,Timor Leste Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta asks
for help from New Zealand,Australia, Portugal and Malaysia.
Summary
The New Zealand Defence Force currently has over 170 personnel deployed in support of recent operations in Timor-Leste.
The New Zealanders are working as part of an Australian led coalition. They worked with international forces to
stabilise the situation in Dili initially, before providing assistance to restore law and order.
The first New Zealand ground forces arrived in Timor-Leste on Saturday 27 May. The 39 soldiers, an Infantry Rifle
platoon, secured the New Zealand Embassy working alongside Australian forces.
A Company-sized group of 124 soldiers relocated from Townsville, Australia on Wednesday 31 May. In country their tasking
involves security roles to assist in establishing law and order.
The majority of these soldiers are from 2/1 Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, based at Burnham, New
Zealand.
A further eight Military Police from Linton Army Camp departed New Zealand on Saturday 3 June to provide security
protection to the New Zealand Embassy and staff.
Four NZDF personnel deployed to Timor as UN advisors prior to recent civil unrest have returned home.
The deployment of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and transport of stores has been undertaken by Boeing 757 and
C-130 Hercules aircraft from the Royal New Zealand Air Force, working alongside Australian Defence Force air transport.
East Timor (Timor-Leste) became an independent country on 20 May 2002, marking the end of a three-year process towards
independence under the guidance of the United Nations (UN). Since then the UN has provided assistance to East Timor over
a period of two years until all control was handed over to the East Timor authorities, however the Council extended its
mission for another year to allow the new nation, which had changed its name to Timor-Leste, to attain self-sufficiency.
Throughout this period New Zealand has contributed military personnel as military observers, military advisers, training
teams and staff officers.
ENDS