// Adapting to Change in Timor-Leste
05 September, 2006
by Judith Martin
05 September 2006
The New Zealand soldiers who deployed to Timor-Leste faced a complex situation, which very few of them would have encountered before, says Land Component Commander, Brigadier Phil Gibbons.
“But that is the nature of contemporary conflict. Today our soldiers must be prepared to change and adapt at will, and respond to very different and complex situations and operations.”
In Timor Leste New Zealand soldiers became immediately involved in detaining people, and patrolling the streets of Becora in Dili where there was looting, gang activity, and sporadic violence.
“ They had very limited mission-specific pre-deployment training for Timor Leste. What has allowed them to deploy and successfully undertake operations in this theatre is the leadership provided to them in theatre and the ongoing training that occurs in their units,” said Brigadier Gibbons.
Timor-Leste is reported to be “relatively calm” now, as New Zealand, Australian and Malaysian military and police patrol the streets and villages.
As Land Component Commander Brigadier Gibbons is responsible for the training and preparation of all NZ Army Land Forces to successfully deploy to locations such as Timor- Leste and conduct effective operations.
Brigadier Gibbons said the Army personnel, 200 of whom are in Timor-Leste, did an excellent job in creating a secure environment and returning a degree of normality to the people of Dili.
The New Zealand senior national officer for the first two months of the Timor Leste conflict, Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Harker, said his soldiers faced a “very complex situation.”
“They encountered guys carrying machetes, wearing running shoes, and carrying lighters to start fires and burn buildings. Our soldiers were wearing flak jackets, webbing and helmets, and carrying rifles. It was impractical to give chase. They (the New Zealanders) used their gumption to work out the environment, and ascertain their advantages and disadvantages.”
Platoons were often broken into smaller elements, and blocking positions set up. Much of the violence and rioting occurred at night, so the troops’ night vision equipment was “particularly useful,” he said
“They (the New Zealanders) had to be very mindful of the legal ramifications involved in detaining people. They were working in a mainly urban environment where it was difficult to tell if a man carrying a machete was, for example, a farmer acting legitimately, or a gang member who has just seriously injured someone.”
Local Timorese were growing increasingly confident in their security, and were now more willing to stop or report illegal activity, he said.
Brigadier Gibbons, who has recently accompanied the NZ Commander Joint Forces, Rear Admiral Jack Steer in a visit to the Australian-led Combined Joint Task Force in Timor Leste, said he was impressed with the performance of the New Zealand soldiers. “They’re pro-active and not afraid to make decisions, which is important in that environment. They have to be aware that everything they do in that situation has an impact not only on their own security, but that of their Platoon, and the rest of the New Zealand Company.”
“The ethos, values and unique culture of the NZ Army assist us in establishing a strong relationship with the local people. This in turn contributes to the creation of a secure environment and aids our own force protection.”
The operations New Zealand Defence Force personnel took part in now, said Brigadier Gibbons, meant that on any one day they could be delivering aid, securing a critical location, and potentially using force, all in one small geographical area.
“They know they have to be adaptable and multi-dimensional.”
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