15 bullets 'found in soldier's body

JAKARTA (JP): An autopsy performed on an Indonesian soldier shot dead by New Zealand members of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNPKF) in East Timor found 15 bullets in the body of the dead soldier.

"The autopsy report found 15 bullets in his body," Army Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Kiki Syahnakri told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

First Sgt. Lirman, 21, was shot to dead on July 28 in East Nusa Tenggara by about 30 New Zealand troops. AP reported on Monday that the soldier, who was out of uniform, fired at least two shots at the peacekeepers from the Indonesian side of the unmarked border before they returned fire.

The incident occurred about four kilometers southwest of Tilomar, near East Timor's southern coast.

Kiki also said there were hundreds of bullets around the body of Lirman. If Lirman had fired two shots at the UN peacekeepers before the latter returned fire, Kiki believed that the New Zealand troops had reacted disproportionately.

"Besides, we have yet to verify the UN's version of the incident. Did Lirman fire first as they charged?" said Kiki.

A UN investigating team has found that peacekeepers were justified in shooting Lirman dead.

"The investigating team consisting of United Nations military observers concluded that the UN peacekeepers had acted within reasonable grounds in engaging a man who they believed had fired on them from over the border," peacekeeping spokesman Capt. Isabelito Sanchez said as quoted by AP on Monday.

Meanwhile, Udayana Military Command chief Maj. Gen. Willem T. Da Costa said there were other UNPKF members besides the New Zealand troops at the scene of the shooting.

"The UN will surely receive reports from those personnel. On the other hand, there were also other Indonesian troops who witnessed the incident," Da Costa told Antara on Tuesday.

Da Costa admitted that Lirman was out of uniform at the time of incident, which was against procedures. "But his fatal shooting still must be questioned," Kiki argued.

Da Costa also said he had written twice to the UNPKF commander, Lt. Gen. Boonsrang Niumpradith, proposing the setting up of a joint investigation team. The letters were dated Aug. 2 and Aug. 6. (lem)