The United Nations peacekeeping mission helping Timor-Leste recover from fighting last year that drove 15 per cent of the population from their homes has called for improved relations between the police and army, a strengthened legal framework, increased capacity and enhanced civil oversight as part of overall security sector reform.

Post-electoral violence in Timor-Leste, including arson and rock-throwing, has reportedly driven at least 4,000 people from their homes in two eastern districts in the small South-East Asian country, forcing them to stay in the mountains or in convents, schools and compounds considered safe, according to United Nations humanitarian officials.

A United Nations convoy in Timor-Leste was attacked today, drawing condemnation from the world body's top official there, who called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice while pledging continued assistance to the small country.

The security situation in Timor-Leste remained tense today, with United Nations police officers and their international and national colleagues fully deployed to end post-election violence in the small South-East Asian country that the world body helped shepherd to independence from Indonesia in 2002.