Former troops gun roundup begins today

JAKARTA (JP): Many retired Armed Forces members living in Jakarta and its surrounding areas are scheduled to voluntarily turn in their guns to the Jakarta garrison today.

Jakarta Military Commander May. Gen. Sutiyoso said last week that he expected a large number of guns to be returned during the special ceremony. The ceremony will be held at the Jakarta garrison on Jl. Merdeka Timur, Central Jakarta.

The military command has so far received 20 guns of various types from retired Armed Forces members, he said.

He said that the military command has given retired members a deadline to relinquish their guns, being, by the end of this month.

"If they don't relinquish their guns, they will get administrative punishment," he said, without going into details.

Sutiyoso said the military command will raid the city's retired Armed Forces members housing complexes in an effort to collect as many unlicensed guns as possible.

He acknowledged that the "gun operation" was prompted by an armed robbery in the city last month.

On May 12, three masked men robbed the Hero supermarket in Kali Malang, East Jakarta, making off with Rp 260,000 (US$111.82) in cash after they randomly fired shots from automatic rifles, believed to be an FN and AK 47.

Three men were wounded in the robbery. Several shop windows and three cars were also damaged by the bullets.

A report said that the police apprehended two men, identified as Imron and Hardi, at a retired servicemen's housing complex in Kali Malang. The two men are relatives of retired Armed Forces members, reports said. (jun)