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