Downer seeks Timor arrest change

From: AAP
By Steve Larkin
June 07, 2006

AUSTRALIA wants East Timor's Parliament to change its laws to allow foreign police to arrest arsonists and looters on the streets of Dili.

As Australia today committed a further $1 million for AusAid to buy food for the World Food Program in East Timor, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today he wanted Australian police numbers there to reach 200 "as soon as possible".

He also revealed that he believed some of the gangs responsible for the violence that has ravaged the capital for the past few weeks might have links to politicians.

"I can't prove it, but I have some concerns about that," Mr Downer said in Adelaide.

He said that, in addition to 1300 troops, Australia has 106 Australian Federal Police in East Timor, but the number would grow towards 200 by the deployment of state police officers.

Malaysia was also considering sending another 250 police and New Zealand an extra 30 or 40 officers.

But the foreign police are restrained in their efforts to stem the violence by East Timor's laws.
"It's not to say though that just by getting more police on the ground in East Timor that is automatically going to solve the problem," Mr Downer said.

"In order for day-to-day police work to be conducted by foreign police, there will almost certainly have to be a change in the law of East Timor.

"We're in discussions today with the East Timorese about how they can change the law ... they are going to have to change it through their parliament."

Mr Downer said the further food aid funding would help prevent a food shortage in East Timor.
"The idea is to ensure there are substantial supplies of food that can be distributed to the internally displaced people there," he said.

"It's not at the moment. There is a major problem with food shortages, it's that we are concerned that such a situation could arise in the not too distant future.

"It would be terrible if we let the situation arise where supplies just ran out."
Mr Downer urged East Timor's politicians to settle their differences peacefully.

"We have studiously tried to avoid taking sides whatever we might think privately," he said.

"It's one thing to have political differences and political disputes ... but the important thing is that these disputes are managed peacefully, constitutionally and not outside the rule of law."

Federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock confirmed other countries could become involved in Australia's peacekeeping mission in East Timor.

He said AFP commissioner Mick Keelty had been discussing with other countries as well as with the Australian states and territories the potential for their participation in peacekeeping in East Timor.

"But announcements will be made in relation to those matters when appropriate approvals have been obtained and the deployments have been formally agreed and are ready to be made," he said in Melbourne.