Borderline security means no limits for smugglers<\/p>\n
The police announced this week their findings on the alleged
\ninvolvement of state oil and gas firm PT Pertamina officials in
\nthe smuggling of crude and refined oil. In border areas, however,
\nfuel smuggling has been a problem for years. The Jakarta Post's
\ncorrespondent Yemris Fointuna visited on Wednesday the Indonesia-
\nTimor Leste border. He shares his observations in the following
\nreport.<\/p>\n
An Indonesian Military officer related his version of fuel
\nsmuggling over the Indonesia-Timor Leste border. He said local
\npeople would carry 10- to 15-liter containers of fuel daily into
\nthe neighboring country.<\/p>\n
His account, however, was denied by a local religious figure.
\nA priest at the Wek Fau parish in Atambua, Belu regency, Father
\nMundus Sako, said that security officers posted in border areas
\nhad turned a blind eye as hundreds of tons of fuel in drums was
\ntransported by truck over the border.<\/p>\n
\"I am not accusing them of working together with the
\nsmugglers. But, I know that illegal transactions have been
\ncarried out in the jungle. I guess the welfare of officers needs
\nto be improved so that they can perform their duties in a serious
\nmanner without being involved in illegal activities,\" Mundus
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
According to Mundus, security in the border areas is lax due
\nto their rough terrain and limited infrastructure. He said
\nsoldiers had only apprehended people carrying small containers of
\nfuel who were making just enough money to put food on their
\ntables. Large-scale traders who smuggle fuel by the truckload
\nwere, however, free to go about their business.<\/p>\n
Mundus' remark was in contrast to that of the Indonesian
\nBorder Force Commander Lieut. Col. Yul Aviandi, who said his men
\nhad been able to reduce the rate of fuel smuggling over the past
\nthree months. He denied that the military was involved in fuel
\nsmuggling.<\/p>\n
\"One of the military's tasks is to protect and secure the
\nborder areas. Previously, more than 2,000 liters of fuel were
\nsmuggled out, but the latest evaluation indicates that only 150
\nliters of fuel were confiscated from smugglers in August, many of
\nwhom probably traveled via unmarked paths in the jungle,\" said
\nAviandi.<\/p>\n
There are 55 military and police posts, and seven Belu 1605
\nMilitary Command posts along the 280-kilometer borderline. The
\nnumber of posts is more than enough to oversee border activities,
\nwith each post manned by 15 to 20 soldiers patrolling five to 10
\nkm of the borderline.<\/p>\n
The problem is more one of lax border security on the part of
\nTimor Leste as only a few officers from the Timor Leste National
\nPolice patrol the area.<\/p>\n
\"I guess the TNI should not be the only one blamed for the
\nproblem due to the unequal number of officers guarding and
\nsecuring the two countries' border areas. This situation creates
\nopportunities for smugglers,\" said Aviandi.<\/p>\n
He cited, as an example, the borderline between Motaain and
\nNunura, as well as Lakmars and Laktutus, which stretches for more
\nthan 70 km and has 12 TNI posts along it, while there is not a
\nsingle Timor Leste post along the borderline.<\/p>\n
\"If this goes on unabated, it will be impossible to curb
\nsmuggling over the border,\" said Aviandi.<\/p>\n
The narrow paths that are traversed by smugglers were observed
\nduring a trip to the border areas between Motaain in East
\nTasifeto district and the TNI post in Silawan, a distance of
\nabout 10 km.<\/p>\n
The border was not marked other than with lines of trees,
\nrivers that had dried up and farm fences.<\/p>\n
A vast opening, shaded by banyan trees, which smugglers
\nfrequently use as a place for transactions, is located about four
\nkm from Motaain, in the Silawan forest.<\/p>\n
The residents admitted that smuggling was a problem. Several
\nof them said they had often helped their relatives in Timor Leste
\nby smuggling kerosene or gasoline in jerricans through jungle
\npaths.<\/p>\n
They smuggle fuel when there are no TNI soldiers in the area.
\nTheir relatives ask them to buy kerosene, which is a lot cheaper
\nin Atambua compared to the exorbitant price in East Timor of Rp
\n7,500 per liter,\" said Antonio, 32, from Silawan village, which
\nborders with East Timor's district of Maliana.<\/p>\n
They use the money to help their families, although they know
\nit is against the law.<\/p>\n
\"We don't have land to cultivate. We have been living in a
\ntemporary shelter. The government has not provided us with any
\nfood. So, the only way is to sell kerosene or gasoline to Timor
\nLeste, despite the risk of being caught by TNI soldiers,\" he
\nadded.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/borderline-security-means-no-limits-for-smugglers-1447893297",
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