Scoop Today Special - NZ Commits Itself To Peace

Friday, 17 September 1999, 5:22 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

Today Parliament debated the largest deployment of New Zealand armed forces since the Vietnam war. As early as tomorrow the operation to save Timor from terror will begin....see www.scoop.co.nz/timorcrisis.html for much much more...

KIWI TROOPS READY TO GO - SHIPLEY WARNS OF DANGER - TROOPS ON GROUND BY WEEKEND

Pictures from yesterday's post cabinet press conference to announce decisions regarding the deployment of NZ forces to East Timor. From left - Air Marshal Carey Adamson, Defence Minister Max Bradford, Foreign Minister Don McKinnon and Prime Minister Jenny ...See... Scoop Images: Peacekeeping Decisions Announced [1] in the Headlines wire.>

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9909/S00155.htm

Is East Timor Out Of Control?

- In the Headlines wire today Scoop's Alastair Thompson surveys the limited sources of information currently available on the situation in East Timor and attempts to reconcile what is clearly a very complicated crisis. See… Scoop News Analysis: East Timor - The End Game [1] . Meanwhile FAIR-L (Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting) has issued a warning to journalists reporting on the crisis. See… Is East Timor Really "Out Of Control"? [2] .

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9909/S00157.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9909/S00156.htm

From the House – The Special Parliamentary Debate

- Scoop House Coverage: Snippets of the debate. Jenny Shipley, Helen Clark, Jim Anderton, Ron Mark, Richard Prebble, Jeanette Fitzsimons and Peter Dunne on NZ's East Timor peacekeeping deployment. See… House Resonant With Sincerity As Troops Farewelled [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9909/S00158.htm

Air Drop Today For Dying Refugees

- Indonesia has given permission for ten tonnes of food to be air dropped into Indonesia today for refugees that are beginning to die. Malaria and Disentry are starting to take hold and the aid is desperately needed. An Australian air force plane will make the drop.

Thailand To Second Mission

- Thailand are to back up Australia and be second in command of the UN Mission to East Timor.

Cabinet Agrees On Kiwi Deployment - Troops Can 'Shoot To Kill'

- The UN Security Council have voted unanimously to send a multi-national peacekeeping force into East Timor immediately. The mission has been granted broad and robust powers to restore peace and security at any cost. Australian Prime Minister John Howard said the public should be under no illusions that there could be conflict and casualties in the mission which is expected to be led by Australian troops. Australia is committing 4,500 troops and following a special Cabinet meeting last night New Zealand Prime Minister said 420 troops would join the Australians in Darwin by the weekend. New Zealand helicopters, non-military vehicles and personal carriers are also to be sent and a full batallion of 800 troops will be on standby in case they are required. An SAS contigent of 50 commandos is already in Darwin.

Timor Peacekeeping Force – For How Long and How Much Resistance?

- Janes Defence Weekly is reporting the around 8,000 strong UN force (INTERFET) being deployed to East Timor can expect to be there for two years. What combat opposition are they likely to encounter? John Howard reports. See… Timor Troops - For How Long? How Much Resistance? [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9909/S00153.htm

Prime Ministerial Statements On Commitment To Peacekeeping Force

- Following yesterday's special Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Jenny Shipley said New Zealand will provide, on top of troops and hardware, $500,000 to support international efforts to save lives in East Timor. See… Emergency Help For East Timor [1] in the Parliament wire. In a joint statement Jenny Shipley and Defence Minister Max Bradford said New Zealand would contribute an initial force of around 420 personnel to the international peacekeeping force to be assembled in East Timor. See… NZ Peacekeepers To Go To East Timor [2] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9909/S00350.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9909/S00352.htm

Pictures From The Massacre

- Scoop has received some alarming pictures by email of the environment New Zealand troops may soon find themselves in. They show what appear to be Indonesian troops gunning down a youth in the street's of East Timor as he runs away. See... Images: Shooting - WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT [1] in the Headlines wire. Today a correspondent from East Timor told Radio New Zealand that the militia are still in Dili and five Timorese people were shot by them yesterday.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9909/S00151.htm

Who Will Contribute

- Countries willing to be involved in the Timor mission, which will involve a total of 8,000 troops include: Australia, New Zealand, the US, Britain, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Portugal, France, Canada, China. Fiji, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Argentina have also offered Troops.

The Province Of Aceh - Another Indonesian Tragedy?

– Aceh… never heard of it? We may be hearing the name more frequently, however, because many Indonesian's feel much more strongly about the potential loss of Aceh province than they do about East Timor. Aceh looks likely to become a second national tragedy. Scoop’s John Howard reports. See… Aceh - Another Indonesian Tragedy? [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9909/S00147.htm

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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