Army feud leaves soldier injured

Army feud leaves soldier injured

ATAMBUA, East Nusa Tenggara: A soldier was savaged by members
of a rival military group in a dispute over gambling dealings in
East Nusa Tenggara.

Five members of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command
(Kostrad) battalion in Atambua attacked Chief Sgt. Stefanus Laku
Mali from the Belu Military Subdistrict (Kodim) on Thursday
afternoon.

Stefanus was badly beaten, suffering a ripped ear during the
attack.

He had identified two of his assailants, saying they were from
the Builalu border post in Lamaknen district.

Belu Kodim chief Let. Col. Tjuk Agus Minahasa said on Friday
that he regretted the action's of the military personnel.

"They cannot take the law into their own hands. Any errant
soldiers should be punished through the appropriate legal
process," he said, adding he had coordinated with relevant local
Army heads.

The Kostrad soldiers attacked Stefanus at a gambling den after
hearing he and Builalu village chief Albertus Bere Bau were paid
Rp 150,000 by a local gambling figure. --Antara