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May 25, 2006
## Australia urges citizens to leave "extremely dangerous" East Timor Sydney (ANTARA News) - Australia has warned its citizens to leave East Timor amidst escalating violence and said the government there would decide Wednesday whether to call for international assistance. Renewed fighting between rebels and government troops on Tuesday prompted Australia to upgrade its travel advisory for the tiny island nation, warning that the security situation had become "extremely dangerous". Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he had been told by his East Timorese counterpart, Jose Ramos-Horta, that the government would review the situation Wednesday and "work out whether they need international assistance or not". "Whether they would want military assistance, they'd want police assistance, they'd want some sort of combination of the two -- they have to work that out," he told commercial radio. Ramos-Horta was quoted by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as saying East Timor might request back-up for its own police force, which had "some difficulties" with logistics and leadership. "What we need most is a robust police to back up our own police force," he said. "We do not need at the moment peacekeeping forces as such, military forces as such." Australian and New Zealand troops are on stand-by to help quell any unrest, but Australian Prime Minister John Howard said troops would only be sent in if East Timor asked for them. "We wouldn't go into East Timor unless we were asked in accordance with the constitutional processes of that country," he told national broadcaster ABC from Dublin, where he was on an official visit. "We are able to respond if we are asked, but you wait until you are asked. You don't run around soliciting invitations." Violence erupted in the East Timorese capital Dili on April 28 when a rally in support of 600 former soldiers who were sacked when they deserted their barracks turned into a riot after security forces opened fire on the crowd. The clashes left five people dead and at least 21,000 people fled the capital in the wake of the riot. On Tuesday, two people, including an East Timorese soldier, were killed and five others injured in two separate shoot-outs with rebels. "This violence could escalate and spread to other areas," the Australian government warned in its updated travel advisory. "The situation could change quickly and without notice and Australians could be caught up in any violence directed at others. If you are already in East Timor you should consider departing." (*) May 24 10:07 Copyright © 2006 ANTARA Terms of Use #### Other Stories Related to This Topic Indonesia Has No Intention Of Harming E Timor People Fighting Continues In East Timor Australian Troops Awaiting Request To Enter Troubled East Timor #### Other Stories in This Category RI Intensifies Patrol Near Timor Leste Border Area Mily Chief Visits Soeharto Malaysia To Send Troops To East Timor

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