York soldier brings spark of hope to East Timor

Former Lowfield School pupil Lance Corporal Paul Johnson is in the Indonesian territory which recently voted for independence as part of the UN International Force East Timor (Interfet).

The work of L Cpl Johnson, 24, and his colleagues has given new hope to a people forced from their homes and into the jungle by forces loyal to the Indonesian government.

He is in the territory as a member of 35 Engineer Regiment, attached to the Royal Gurkha Rifles.

"I'm the electrician for the British contingent, and when I arrived in the Ambino enclave they had no electricity as the local power supply had been smashed up by the pro-Indonesian militia," he said.

L Cpl Johnson said it took four hours to get there on a landing craft boat, as the enclave is in an isolated area and only accessible by sea.

It is a sensitive area and suffered badly during the conflict.

"We were the first UN troops to arrive and word quickly got round, and within hours the locals started returning in their hundreds from the mountains where they had been hiding.

"All the power at the present is being run from generators until we get some spares to get the local supply up and running again.

"As well as doing the electrical work I have been helping out with other engineering tasks such as helping to repair the water supply and repairing roofs for the Timorese people."

He said helping to distribute food to the locals had been a very rewarding task.

"The locals are all very friendly and grateful for our help," he said.

"Our very presence here gives the locals reassurances and the confidence to get on with their lives again.

He added: "I'm glad that I had the opportunity to come out here and help them get their independence because they are so friendly that they did not deserve to have the militia destroy their homes and ruin their lives."

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