15 bullets 'found in soldier's body

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)