Fresh troops arrive in Ambon

Fri, 22 Jun 2001, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

AMBON, Maluku: A fresh batch of soldiers from Central Java's
410 infantry battalion was deployed here on Thursday, replacing
407 infantry battalion personnel, also from Central Java, who had
served in the troubled Maluku and North Maluku provinces for more
than nine months.

Some 600 members of the 407 infantry battalion -- who
functioned as crack-riot troops in the Ambon security sector --
were sent off in a modest ceremony at Halong Naval Base onboard
the KRI Teluk Ratai on Thursday morning.

"The 407 infantry battalion has done a good, neutral job in
handling unrest and much upheaval in Maluku," Pattimura Military
Chief of Staff Col. Syarifuddin Sumah said in a farewell address
to the troops.

The battalion was involved in a raid on armed civilians' base
camps in Galunggung and Kebon Cengkih on June 14 which claimed at
least 17 lives, including a member of the Army's Special Force
(Kopassus) First Sgt. Putu Eka Wahyudi. (49)

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