Green MP Flies To East Timor

Green MP Keith Locke left this morning with seven other MPs on a delegation to East Timor led by the Minister of Defence, Mark Burton.

The delegation will be visiting New Zealand’s peacekeeping force in East Timor.

“I’ll be investigating what reconstruction aid the East Timorese need, and how New Zealand could best assist,” said Mr Locke.

Before the visit, Mr Locke met with Volunteer Service Abroad, Oxfam, the Community Housing Trust (which had developed a cheap, quality housing construction system), and East Timorese representatives in New Zealand.

“Along with Amnesty International, I am concerned that the perpetrators of destruction and killings in East Timor are brought to justice. I want to look at progress in the investigations of human rights violations, and what the international community can do to help,” said Mr Locke.

Mr Locke can be reached in Darwin (Tuesday), East Timor (Wednesday and Thursday) and Australia (Friday).

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