East Timor: children face high risk of disease

Meanwhile, critics of Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri met to discuss amending the constitution to give the president power to dissolve parliament and force Alkatiri to resign, said Manuel Tilman, an opposition member of parliament attending the talks.

Photo: East Timor: children face high risk of disease

East Timor's worst unrest since its bloody break for independence from Indonesian rule in 1999 began in March when some 600 striking soldiers were dismissed, triggering clashes with loyalist forces.

The fighting gave way to gang warfare, and also widened political tensions between the politically powerful Alkatiri and President Xanana Gusmao, who is popular but holds a largely ceremonial role.

International peacekeeping troops from Australia, New Zealand, Portugal and Malaysia were deployed in the capital to restore calm and the United Nations has agreed to lead an inquiry into the violence that has killed at least 30 people.

An estimated 30,000 children and 70,000 adults are staying in dozens of makeshift camps in and outside Dili, many of them living under tarpaulins and plastic sheeting in cramped and dirty conditions.