Fresh troops arrive in Ambon

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)