147 AWOL soldiers arrested in S. Sulawesi<\/p>\n
MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): A total of 147 personnel of
\nvarious detachments from the Wirabuana Military Command posted in
\nKendari, Southeast Sulawesi, have been arrested by military
\npolice for being absent without leave (AWOL).<\/p>\n
All 147 were apprehended on Friday as they disembarked at
\nBajoe seaport in Bone, some 120 kilometers from Makassar, the
\ncapital of South Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
The soldiers had apparently left their barracks without
\npermission on May 7.<\/p>\n
The Wirabuana military command oversees the Central, North,
\nSouth and Southeast Sulawesi provinces.<\/p>\n
The reasons for the mass desertions remain unclear and senior
\nmilitary officers on Tuesday remained reluctant to discuss the
\ncase.<\/p>\n
Wirabuana military command spokesman Lt. Col. Moeljono only
\nclaimed he did not know much about the incident.<\/p>\n
\"I've just heard about it. I will check it out,\" Moeljono
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Chief of the South Sulawesi military police Col. Bambang
\nWahyudi also refused to comment, saying that this was an internal
\nmilitary matter.<\/p>\n
\"I can't talk much about it because this incident has yet to
\nbe reported to the (Wirabuana) military commander,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The 147 soldiers reportedly came from the air force base, the
\ncavalry unit, the ground artillery and the combat engineers.<\/p>\n
Sources said the soldiers went AWOL following the issuance of
\npermits to 150 other fellow soldiers.<\/p>\n
There were also unconfirmed reports that the soldiers would
\nsoon be deployed to Irian Jaya province for a special mission.<\/p>\n
Other sources said that the written permissions had actually
\nbeen signed by their commanders but not yet distributed.<\/p>\n
A source said that as the soldiers believed their request for
\nleave had been ignored, they quietly left their barracks without
\npermission.<\/p>\n
After their arrest, the 147 soldiers were put in quarantine at
\nthe command center for military training and education in the
\nPakkatto area of Gowa regency.(27)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/147-awol-soldiers-arrested-in-s-sulawesi-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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