30 suspected East Timor militia surrender

East Timor: over 30 suspected militia surrender to UN peacekeepers

13 June – A security operation conducted by United Nations peacekeepers in East Timor has resulted in the surrender of 34 suspected militia members in the eastern part of the territory, the UN Transitional Administration (UNTAET) said today in Dili.

The operation, which was described by UNTAET as "highly peaceful," came after a former militia leader voluntary surrendered to the UN Civilian Police on Tuesday and later informed the peacekeepers that more returnees and former militia had returned from West Timor, Indonesia, to East Timor over the previous 48 hours.

After securing the area in and around the village of Lontama in the Bobonaro district, the UN peacekeepers asked the returnees and ex-militia to come forward and submit to security and registration processes.

Of the 34 people interviewed, six volunteered to cooperate further with the peacekeepers and civilian police in ongoing security and law and order investigations, UNTAET said. The others were released to commence the process of reconciliation with the people of their villages.

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