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5 September 2006
As the NZDF contingent in East Timor begins to downsize, New Zealand’s ambassador to the region says the key to the NZDF contingent’s success was their cooperation with the New Zealand Police deployed there.
“The New Zealand Defence Force have gone out of their way to cooperate with and assist the Police, with the Army paving the way for the Police to take over routine security operations”, says Ms Ruth Nuttall, Ambassador to East Timor.
The New Zealand Defence Force, Police and the ambassador hold a daily meeting to discuss security issues and ensure the organisations cooperate fully.
The acting senior national officer for the New Zealand Police in East Timor, Superintendent John Spence, says he has been impressed by the professionalism of Defence Force personnel.
“When we arrived we were picked up by the Army and they really looked after us. They gave us security briefs and introduced us to the area we would be operating in. At the ground level we have nothing but admiration for the way the Army has acted. The work they did in Becora before we arrived set the scene for us and made our job a lot easier”, said Superintendent Spence.
Ms Nuttall also praised the NZDF troops, thanking them for providing “peace of mind”. “It was a big relief not to have to worry about security; we could sleep through the night without worrying at each noise or gun shot, and even during the day they brought us peace of mind.
“All comments I have heard on the New Zealand force are extremely positive. From what I can see the job they have been doing is highly professional; they have been well received by the local communities.”
However, she also says there are still enormous challenges ahead for the country, and finding lasting peace will not be easy.
“This is a country with a very difficult history and recent events have added another layer of difficulty. East Timor has a history of being very poor, and although some money is now coming in from oil and gas it will not be easy for them to find a way forward. All the help they get, they will need.
This page was last reviewed on 11 September 2006 and is current.
