Dili Update

Security in the East Timor capital appeared to worsen despite the presence of
Australian troops at the airport. Leaders on all sides of this bloody dispute
were confident that the situation would calm as soon as the Diggers landed in
the capital.

East Timor has strong ties with Australia, stretching back to World War II. Many
ET officers, including the current rebels, were trained by the Australian military;
and some of the political leadership spent their years of exile in Australia.

The Australian military led the relatively clean operation, which establish independence
for the tiny country.

As it turns out, the appearance of the Diggers has not been the simple solution
hoped for.

Reports aren’t clear on where the continued unrest stems from, but there
are numerous mentions of ‘gangs of armed youths’ rampaging through
the capital and outlying areas.

The Australian wife of President Xanana Gusmao says the country's armed forces
do not appear to be taking orders from anyone.

It seems the trained officers might be welcoming the Diggers, but they are unable
to control other elements, whether notionally under their command or not.

Australian military have been given well defined ‘terms of engagement which
include, ultimately, lethal force.

From the reports:

EAST
Timor's military has armed the militias ripping the country apart, presenting
a major challenge to the Australian-led international intervention, the Foreign
Minister, Jose Ramos Horta, has revealed.

Brigadier Michael Slater, the commander of the Australian forces, said he did
not want to disarm the warring parties but get them to return to barracks.

Charred bodies of mother, children found Militias appear to be targeting police
and their families in revenge attacks. – Sydney Morning Herald

THE
East Timorese army is being ordered back to barracks to quell the nation's killing,
but troops on the ground last night continued to fight rebel soldiers.

Senior Government sources said military commander Taur Matan Ruak had given
the order to force soldiers back to barracks. It came after revelations that
soldiers had armed civilian militias, according to East Timor Foreign Minister
Jose Ramos Horta. – The Age

Aussie
troops take control in Dili – The Australian

Aust troops
patrol Dili streets The Australian ABC