Operation to disarm militias extended

Operation to disarm militias extended

JAKARTA (JP): Security forces are stepping up the weapons
sweeping operations in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) following the
decision by the National Police to extend the operation for
another 15 days.

Earlier on Saturday, police searched the house of influential
ex-militia leader Eurico Guterres on Jl. Robert Walter Monginsidi
in NTT's capital of Kupang, Antara reported.

"The police have decided to extend sweeping operations for the
next 15 days to thoroughly clear the area of any illegal
weapons," National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro said on
Sunday after attending a ceremony at the Lubang Buaya Monument in
East Jakarta on Sunday morning commemorating the 1965 national
tragedy due to the betrayal of state ideology, Pancasila .

Bimantoro said the action was needed to ensure that security
in the area returns quickly to normal.

"This is part of the effort to show the country's seriousness
in handling the problem," the general said, adding that after the
deadline the police would take other actions to restore peace and
law and order in the area, including routine intelligence
operations.

Indonesia has promised the United Nations (UN) Security
Council to disarm the militias, which have been blamed for the
killing of three UN relief workers and of terrorizing more than
130,000 East Timorese in refugee camps in West Timor.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Akbar
Tandjung reiterated that the United Nations Transitional
Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), the National Council of
Timorese Resistance (CNRT) and the Indonesian authorities must be
able to provide security guarantees for both refugees and the
militias.

"We have to take care of them, because, after all of this
time, they have become part of the nation. We can't turn our back
on them despite the result of East Timor ballot.

"Therefore, the authorities have to use a persuasive approach
in the (gun sweeping) operation, because they have shown strong
support for integration in the past years," Akbar said on Sunday.

In Kupang, three companies of joint police and military
personnel conducted a thorough search of Eurico's house on
Saturday following reports that the former Aitarak militia
commander still concealed weapons.

At the time of the search, Eurico reportedly was in Jakarta to
answer the Attorney General's summons for questioning about
atrocities committed following East Timor's autonomy ballot in
August last year.

Present during the fruitless search was Eurico's wife Agida
and the prointegration refugee camp (Untas) secretary general
Filomeno de Hornay.

"On Saturday Eurico surrendered an FN-45 pistol along with 74
bullets and three magazines at NTT Police headquarters, but we
suspect that he has more weapons at his home," Chief of NTT
Police Operation and Control Sr. Supt. Jefry Kusnafi said.

Eurico admitted that he still had an M-16 semi-automatic rifle
in his house at Atambua.

"I've already asked my men to hand it over to Belu Police
Precinct. The M-16 was originally taken from a TNI soldier by
Portuguese troops and later we seized it during the 1974 civil
war against the Fretilin proindependence movement and its armed
wing Falintil," Eurico said. (edt)