August 11, 2000
The death of a Nepalese soldier on peacekeeping duties showed the danger in East Timor, Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Laurie Brereton said today. Mr Brereton said the death, which happened around 5.45pm local time on August 10, was further evidence of pro-Indonesian militia trying to destabilise the country.
"This latest ambush of UN peacekeepers confirms the need for urgent action by the Indonesian military to prevent hostile militia incursions across the border into East Timor," he said in a statement. "Contrary to repeated promises of action, the Indonesian military have failed to disarm or disband the militias. "The Indonesian military cannot evade responsibility for the continuing violent actions of these forces."
The peacekeeper was one of five people shot during a patrol about 14km north-east of the town of Suai. The United Nations said that after an exchange of fire with a militia group, four Nepalese peacekeepers and a local bystander were shot.
Two soldiers were flown to the UN military hospital in Dili, where one later died. The others were now recovering from their injuries. The skirmish occurred several hours after an Australian peacekeeper was killed by an accidental discharge of his rifle.
