Illiteracy barring troop transfers

Illiteracy barring troop transfers

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Illiteracy is hampering the
efforts of the Udayana Regional Military Command to transfer
soldiers from the former Indonesian territory of East Timor to
other areas of the country, a report said.

East Nusa Tenggara's Wirasakti Military Resort Commander Col.
Moeswarno Moesanip said on Saturday that most of indigenous East
Timorese soldiers could not read or were approaching retirement
age.

"Based on these considerations, we will keep them under our
supervision until they retire," Moesanip said during a hearing
with the East Nusa Tenggara provincial legislative council.

He said his office had found many of the soldiers living in
refugee camps in Tuapukan, Naibonat and Atambua, but they could
not be given new assignments because the could not read.

"There is no use transferring them, and they are going to
retire soon .... So, we'll just wait (until they retire)," the
officer said.--Antara