Kiwis teach Aussie soldiers new skills 

Source: Reuters

New Zealand soldiers are teaching their Australian counterparts in Timor-Leste to say kia ora and play soccer with the locals.

It is part of an army interchange scheme which saw New Zealand soldiers deployed to the Australian army and Australian soldiers deployed to the New Zealand army in Timor-Leste.

"Kia ora isn't the cheery salutation you'd expect to hear from Aussie soldiers on patrol in Timor-Leste," the Australian army magazine reports in its latest issue.

"But it's one that New Zealand company Sergeant Pererika Makiha insisted using around Dili (the capital city of East Timor)," the paper says.

A section of Australian soldiers from Bacau was deployed with the New Zealanders in Dili and some New Zealand soldiers were deployed with the Australians as part of the Anzac exchange programme.

The two-week programme is to enhance and maintain interoperability between the two armies.

"The Australians have reported that the Kiwis put an emphasis on interaction with the Dili community," Major Paul Greive told the newspaper.

"From the other side the Kiwis were impressed with the Aussies' Tetum language skills."

Another Australian soldier said the New Zealand soldiers' approach to patrols was different from the Australians.

"The Kiwi guys react well with the kids. We've really enjoyed playing soccer with the local youths - it's a good way to interact with the local community.

"People shake our hands, they seem to appreciate what we are all doing," says Australian section commander, Corporal Ryan Ocampo.

New Zealand has 155 defence personnel in Timor-Leste and the New Zealand Defence Force says the presence of the International Stabilisation Force is effectively keeping law and order. It says minor incidents of street violence are normally handled by police.

New Zealand troops have been in Timor-Leste since 1999 when the country erupted into violence after it voted for independence from Indonesia.