Joint probe planned into Indonesian soldier's death

Joint probe planned into Indonesian soldier's death

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): The Indonesian Military (TNI)
and UN Peacekeeping Force (UN-PKF) agreed on Sunday to launch a
joint probe into the fatal shooting of an Indonesian sergeant
near the East Timor border on Saturday.

TNI's East Timor border task force commander Lt. Col. Magna
Chandra said after a meeting with representatives of UN-PKF at
Metamasin, Kobalima, Belu regency, on Sunday that the joint
investigation aimed to uncover who shot First Sgt. Lirman Hadimu
and what were the motives behind it.

"UN-PKF admits that they committed the shooting, but the
reason for what they did and why our officer was at the scene
have both to be investigated," Magna said as quoted by Antara
news agency.

Magna added that, based on preliminary discussions, it was
revealed that the shooter was one of the UN-PKF soldiers from the
New Zealand Battalion stationed at the East Timor border.

Sunday's meeting was also attended by Kupang 161 Wirasakti
District Military Commander Col. Budi Heryanto who overseas the
border, UN-PKF Western Commander Brig. Gen. Wilson and related
officers.

Meanwhile, Col. Budi said that the joint investigation also
aimed to avoid suspicion and increasing tensions among soldiers
at the border following the shooting.

It was reported that 21-year-old First Sgt. Lirman Hadimu was
shot dead in Alas village, Malaka Barat district, Belu, on
Saturday at around 12:40 p.m. local time.

His body was found one hour later by colleagues from the
military infantry battalion 726 Tamalatea. Lirman reportedly was
not a wearing uniform at the time of the incident and his
unloaded SS-1 rifle was found only two meters from the body.

His body was located about 20 meters from the Tactical
Coordination Line on the Indonesian side of the border.

Battalion officers in the nearby post testified that they
heard three shots and another volley of gunfire coming from the
eastern side.

The bullets shot through his chest hitting his liver, his left
thigh and stomach and cut off his fingers.

The body was brought to Atambua hospital and would be buried
in Southeast Sulawesi.

UN peacekeeping spokesman Capt. Isabelito Sanchez said on
Saturday, as quoted by AP, that a group of suspected "militiamen"
fired a single shot at a company of New Zealand troops stationed
close to the border town of Tilomar. The troops returned fire
before the suspected militia group fled.

Col. Budi concluded from his conversation with Brig. Gen.
Wilson at the border that Lirman was shot at during a patrol by
the international task force.

Budi assumed that UN-PKF used body-heat and firearm detectors
during the patrol so they could detect when an armed man
approached their post.

He believed that Lirman was shot as a consequence of his
undisciplined behavior for wandering about the border without a
uniform and companion. Lirman also did not ask clearance from the
post.

"However, both forces have agreed to inform each other when
they are on patrol and not to ambush or shoot beyond each one's
area of jurisdiction," he added. (30/bby)