Subject: AGE: Australia to boost East Timor troop presence From: ETAN Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:29:54 -0500 To: east-timor@lists.riseup.net Australia to boost East Timor troop presence February 11, 2008 - 4:16PM Australia will send more troops and police to East Timor following the attempted assassination of East Timor's President Jose Ramos-Horta, says Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Mr Rudd said he was deeply shocked by today's wounding of Dr Ramos-Horta and the failed assassination attempt on Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao. Mr Rudd said Dr Ramos-Horta's condition was "very serious but stable" after the East Timorese leader was shot and wounded by rebels at his home in Dili. "I'm deeply shocked by developments this morning in East Timor," Mr Rudd told reporters. "What we had, apparently, are coordinated attacks aimed at assassinating the democratically elected leadership of East Timor, a close friend and partner of Australia." Mr Rudd said Dr Ramos-Horta had received treatment at an Australian military hospital in Dili, and Australia stood ready to offer further assistance including evacuation to Darwin. "That offer has been extended and, I'm advised, in the last quarter of an hour or so has been activated," he said. Mr Rudd said Australia would boost its Australian Defence Force deployment to East Timor, where about 800 Australian troops are already on peacekeeping durities. Mr Rudd said following a request from the East Timor governnment the National Security Committee of the cabinet met today and authorised a "substantial and immediate" reinforcement of Australian defence force personnel as well as an additional contingent of Australian Federal Police personnel. He said the Australian-led international security stabilisition force in east Timor had already secured key buildings and deployed more broadly throughout Dili and increased their presence in East Timor's districts. Mr Rudd said he would travel to East Timor later in the week, following a request from the prime minister. "Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao has also asked if I could visit East Timor later in the week and I intend to take up his invitation to do so," he said. "My reason for doing that is to reinforce in person Australia's resolve, Australia's determination to stand with East Timor at this time of deep challenge to its democratic processes." Mr Rudd said he had spoken to Mr Gusmao, whose car was also shot at today. He was unhurt. Gusmao's family, including his Australian-born wife Kirsty Sword Gusmao, have been moved to a safe location. "I have spoken to Xanana Gusmao twice this morning and spoken to his wife Kirsty on two separate occasions as well," Mr Rudd said. Both were safe and Mr Gusmao had indicated he would make efforts to ensure that stability in East Timor is secured. "Australia will stand resolutely behind East Timor at this time of crisis in their democracy. "Australia is a long-standing partner and friend in past and will remain that way in the future including at this time of national need," he said. Mr Rudd said the extra military and police commitment would bring Australia's deployment in East Timor to about 1,000 personnel. "We'll be flying these forces in with Hercs (Hercules) very soon," he said. "That will bring our total troop deployment in East Timor to about 1,000." He stressed the deployment was in response to an East Timorese request. "On the question of the ADF deployment, the request from East Timor is for a substantial and significant enhancement. We will look to do that at company strength," Mr Rudd said. "On the question of police personnel, we will be looking to deploy an additional 50 to 70 police personnel." Mr Rudd said the increased Australian involvement was necessary in light of the severity of the situation. "When you've got something as fundamentally destabilising as the attempted assassination of the entire senior democratically-elected leadership of one of our neighbours, it's obviously a destabilising time with rogue elements at play," he said. "Therefore, an appropriate show of force is necessary." etanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetan ETAN welcomes your financial support. For more info: http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm John M. Miller Internet: fbp@igc.org National Coordinator East Timor & Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) PO Box 21873, Brooklyn, NY 11202-1873 USA Phone: (718)596-7668 Fax: (718)222-4097 Mobile phone: (917)690-4391 Skype: john.m.miller Web site: http://www.etan.org Send a blank e-mail message to info@etan.org to find out how to learn more about East Timor on the Internet etanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetan [This message was distributed via the east-timor news list. For info on how to subscribe send a blank e-mail to info@etan.org. To support ETAN see http://etan.org/etan/donate.htm ]