Thursday, May 25, 2006

More Conflict in the World

It looks like there could be another civil war in the world. This time in East Timor. From the New Zealand Herald
East Timor's Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta said the situation in the capital Dili today was one of uneasy calm.
The army and disgruntled ex-soldiers exchanged fire in gun battles yesterday for a second day running, but Mr Horta said order was holding this morning.
However, he said foreign troops - including a possible deployment from New Zealand - were still required. Australia said its forces could begin arriving there this afternoon.
There has been trouble in the country since five people were killed late last month during a protest by 600 soldiers sacked for desertion. A sixth person was killed on Tuesday.
The conflict has been factionalised and Australia and Portugal are sending troops to help retain peace, the first of which could arrive later today.
Will the Anti-War people be out protesting about Austrailian and New Zealand "occupation". Maybe if I point out that they have oil. They will march against Bush's cronies.

On a serious note hopefully this situation will be brought under control and cival war avoided

3 comments:

Eamonn said...

I'll be out. In fact I reckon i'll head off to Wellington to make sure they hear me!

Anonymous said...

However, [East Timor's Foreign Minister Jose Ramos Horta] said foreign troops ... were still required.


I think a request from a Minister of a nation's government is slightly different from launching an invasion of, say, Iraq (speaking of civil wars).

Knucklehead said...

Will the Anti-War people be out protesting about Austrailian and New Zealand "occupation".

No, they won't.

Australian and Portuguese troops have been requested by the East Timor Government.

And they are going in as a peace-keeping force, to prevent a civil war, not to start one a la Bush and Blair.