ABRI sends medical datachment to Bosnia

ABRI sends medical datachment to Bosnia

JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung
bade farewell yesterday to troopers who are taking part in
Indonesia's peacekeeping mission in the war-torn Bosnia
Herzegovina.

The Garuda XIV contingent is a detachment of chiefly Army
personnel who will join the United Nations peacekeeping force in
the former Yugoslav republic, marking the first time that
Indonesia has sent such a mission to a European country.

A total of 219 personnel flew out on a chartered Garuda
Indonesia plane last night, according to the Antara news agency.

The detachment, commanded by Lt. Col. Dr. Heridadi, includes
47 officers. An advance team of 62 personnel had already left the
country early this month.

The government and the military have resisted pressure from
various local Moslem organizations to send combat troops to the
UN mission to help protect the mostly Moslem Bosnians in the face
of Serbian aggression and the "ethnic cleansing" campaign.

ABRI leaders pointed out that Indonesian troopers are not
trained or equipped to cope with the wintry conditions in Europe.

The military however sent about two dozen middle ranking
officers to be deployed as observers under the UN mission.

Feisal in his farewell speech said Indonesia felt obliged to
send the medical detachment because of its commitment to the Non-
Aligned Movement (NAM) which it currently chairs.

He recalled that Indonesia and Yugoslavia, which also helped
found the NAM, enjoyed long and fruitful relations.

"It's normal if we now feel concerned at the calamity now
befalling this nation," he said.

He stressed that the mission of the contingent members is
chiefly humanitarian in nature. "The (UN) operation which had
focused on easing the conflict is now shifting towards restoring
normalcy in the field."

Feisal stressed the need for detachment members to maintain
the good name of Indonesia and also of ABRI while they are on
duty in Bosnia.

He said Indonesia had been asked to join the UN operation
precisely because of its past record in similar peacekeeping
missions.

Those previous missions, all under the Garuda contingent
banner, include Somalia and Cambodia.

Also bidding farewell to the contingent members at ABRI
headquarters yesterday were Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wismoyo
Arismunandar, Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Tanto Koeswanto and Air
Force Chief of Staff Marshal Rilo Pambudi. (emb)