Australia Provides Financial Assistance to East Timor

As East Timor remains tense due to growing civil disorder, foreign peacekeeping troops have been sent by Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Portugal to calm the situation down, thus, there is still hope.


According to Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, East Timor will receive an extra 2 million dollars that would serve to solve the humanitarian crisis currently unfolding within the tiny country. The money will help the almost 90,000 refugees who were forced to leave their homes when violence mounted.

"Australia will send up to $1 million in urgently needed food, water, shelter and medical supplies from around Australia to East Timor. A further $1 million will be made available to UNICEF and other international agencies to assist their efforts in providing for the thousands who are displaced across East Timor", stated Alexander Downer.

Thus, the total amount of money provided by the Australians would reach a 3 million dollar sum, the 2 million dollars coming on top the 1 million already donated by the government through non-governmental aid agencies. The country will continue to monitor further developments occurring in East Timor and announced its availability to provide more aid, if needed:" "Australia will continue to monitor the situation in East Timor closely and stands ready to assist as required," concluded Prime Minister Downer.

In the meantime, the East Timorese government struggles to find a compromise solution amid growing political differences between Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri and President Xanana Gusmao with regard to the best way of resolving the situation. "They have been communicating but have not met face-to-face", declared an aide of the President.