Senator Brown asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 25 June, 1999:

(1) Can an explanation be provided of the influx of more armed Indonesians into East Timor.

(2) Why are Indonesian police armed and Australian and other United Nations police not armed.

Senator Hill (Environment and Heritage) —The answer to the honourable senator's questions are as follows:

(1) Under the provisions of the agreement signed in New York on 5 May 1999 between the United Nations, Indonesia and Portugal, the Indonesian police are mandated with sole responsibility for the maintenance of law and order in East Timor for the duration of the process of consultation. In addition to its law and order and community policing responsibilities, this entrusts the Indonesian police with responsibility for protection of UN operations and personnel in East Timor. In order for the Indonesian police to address those responsibilities, the Indonesian government has taken steps to enhance its police presence in East Timor by an additional 2,900 personnel.

(2) The decision to arm national police forces is one for individual governments to make, including the Government of Indonesia. As a general observation, unarmed police forces are the exception rather than the rule throughout the world, and the fact that Indonesia chooses to arm its police force is not exceptional. On the question of whether United Nations police in East Timor should carry arms, it is important to note that UN police are not in East Timor as enforcers of the law, but as advisers to the Indonesian police in the discharge of their duties for the duration of the UN process, together with responsibility to supervise the escort of ballot material to and from polling stations. It is not the normal practice of the United Nations to arm civilian police components of UN operations. The question of arming our civilian police in East Timor has been a matter of some debate in Australia, through following advice from the Australian Federal Police and Chief of the Defence Force, Cabinet has decided police should not carry arms in the course of their normal duties.