Troops, warships stand by for Mega's visit<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military (TNI) headquarters has set up a joint
\ntask force of 2,000 Army, Navy and Air Force personnel to
\nsafeguard President Megawati Soekarnoputri's historic four-hour
\nvisit to attend East Timor's declaration of independence at
\nmidnight Sunday.<\/p>\n
The TNI also has six Indonesian warships stationed near the
\nEast Timor capital of Dili, as well as one Air Force Hercules C-
\n130, to anticipate possible security disturbances, TNI spokesman
\nMaj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said on Friday.<\/p>\n
He said the United Nations Transitional Administration in East
\nTimor (UNTAET) had allowed the TNI to station its ships off the
\ncoast and troops in Dili and nearby border areas.<\/p>\n
"This joint security task force will be led by the Navy's
\nEastern Fleet Commander Rear Adm. Syahroni Kasnadi and is to be
\nassisted by the Presidential Security Guard Corps (Paspampres)
\nwhich has limited personnel," Sjafrie said.<\/p>\n
The joint security task force comprises troops from the Army's
\nStrategic Reserve Command (Kostrad), the Navy's Marine Corps and
\nthe Air Force's Special Force (Paskhas).<\/p>\n
The Paspampres team, led by Col. Suryo Prabowo, was expected
\nto arrive in Dili on Friday night.<\/p>\n
The six Indonesian warships are the Tanjung Kambani, Teluk
\nFatahillah, Badik, Hiu, Teluk Sampit and the Teluk Mandar. Dozens
\nof amphibious tanks and a number of Army's helicopters are also
\nreadied to guard the president who is expected to stay overnight
\nin Denpasar, Bali, after attending the celebrations.<\/p>\n
TNI chief Adm. Widodo A.S. will directly monitor the operation
\nfrom the Tanjung Kambani, which is equipped with an emergency
\nroom should "something happen" to the President during her visit.<\/p>\n
Sjafrie said security for all invited guests, including
\nMegawati, was supposed to be the responsibility of the East Timor
\nadministration, but he underlined that "the TNI would not take
\nany risk, considering that the celebration will be held in the
\nopen air at night".<\/p>\n
Megawati's visit to East Timor has received criticism from
\nsenior military figures and Indonesian war veterans who had
\nserved in the former Indonesian province.<\/p>\n
TNI headquarters initially opposed the visit due to a number
\nof outstanding issues, including refugees and Indonesian assets,
\nfollowing the 1999 UN-sponsored vote in which the overwhelming
\nmajority voted for independence from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Several former government, military and police officials are
\nfacing trials at the Indonesian Rights Tribunal for alleged gross
\nhuman rights violation before, during, and after the 1999 ballot.
\nIf proven guilty, they will face a minimum of 10-years jail.<\/p>\n
Sjafrie said the TNI would be realistic in observing the
\nongoing rights tribunal.<\/p>\n
"But people should understand that what the TNI has done in
\nEast Timor was part of its dedication to this country," he said.<\/p>\n
In observance of the East Timor independence celebrations,
\nseveral former East Timorese leaders attempted to meet Megawati
\non Friday. They included former East Timor governor Abilio Jose
\nOsorio Soares, former pro-Jakarta militia commander Eurico
\nGuterres and a number of former district chiefs and legislators.<\/p>\n
Megawati, however, refused to meet them due to a tight
\nschedule although they had arrived at her presidential residence
\nin Central Jakarta at 9:30 a.m.<\/p>\n
Abilio, who looked disappointed at Megawati's rejection, left
\nthe residence without saying a word. Meanwhile, Guterres told
\nreporters that he demanded the Indonesian government help them
\nby, among other things, providing them with identity cards to
\nshow that they were Indonesian citizens.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/troops-warships-stand-by-for-megas-visit-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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