Operation to disarm militias extended<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Security forces are stepping up the weapons
\nsweeping operations in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) following the
\ndecision by the National Police to extend the operation for
\nanother 15 days.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Saturday, police searched the house of influential
\nex-militia leader Eurico Guterres on Jl. Robert Walter Monginsidi
\nin NTT's capital of Kupang, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
\"The police have decided to extend sweeping operations for the
\nnext 15 days to thoroughly clear the area of any illegal
\nweapons,\" National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro said on
\nSunday after attending a ceremony at the Lubang Buaya Monument in
\nEast Jakarta on Sunday morning commemorating the 1965 national
\ntragedy due to the betrayal of state ideology, Pancasila .<\/p>\n
Bimantoro said the action was needed to ensure that security
\nin the area returns quickly to normal.<\/p>\n
\"This is part of the effort to show the country's seriousness
\nin handling the problem,\" the general said, adding that after the
\ndeadline the police would take other actions to restore peace and
\nlaw and order in the area, including routine intelligence
\noperations.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has promised the United Nations (UN) Security
\nCouncil to disarm the militias, which have been blamed for the
\nkilling of three UN relief workers and of terrorizing more than
\n130,000 East Timorese in refugee camps in West Timor.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar
\nTandjung reiterated that the United Nations Transitional
\nAdministration in East Timor (UNTAET), the National Council of
\nTimorese Resistance (CNRT) and the Indonesian authorities must be
\nable to provide security guarantees for both refugees and the
\nmilitias.<\/p>\n
\"We have to take care of them, because, after all of this
\ntime, they have become part of the nation. We can't turn our back
\non them despite the result of East Timor ballot.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, the authorities have to use a persuasive approach
\nin the (gun sweeping) operation, because they have shown strong
\nsupport for integration in the past years,\" Akbar said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
In Kupang, three companies of joint police and military
\npersonnel conducted a thorough search of Eurico's house on
\nSaturday following reports that the former Aitarak militia
\ncommander still concealed weapons.<\/p>\n
At the time of the search, Eurico reportedly was in Jakarta to
\nanswer the Attorney General's summons for questioning about
\natrocities committed following East Timor's autonomy ballot in
\nAugust last year.<\/p>\n
Present during the fruitless search was Eurico's wife Agida
\nand the prointegration refugee camp (Untas) secretary general
\nFilomeno de Hornay.<\/p>\n
\"On Saturday Eurico surrendered an FN-45 pistol along with 74
\nbullets and three magazines at NTT Police headquarters, but we
\nsuspect that he has more weapons at his home,\" Chief of NTT
\nPolice Operation and Control Sr. Supt. Jefry Kusnafi said.<\/p>\n
Eurico admitted that he still had an M-16 semi-automatic rifle
\nin his house at Atambua.<\/p>\n
\"I've already asked my men to hand it over to Belu Police
\nPrecinct. The M-16 was originally taken from a TNI soldier by
\nPortuguese troops and later we seized it during the 1974 civil
\nwar against the Fretilin proindependence movement and its armed
\nwing Falintil,\" Eurico said. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/operation-to-disarm-militias-extended-1447893297",
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