Retired ABRI members to be searched for guns
Retired ABRI members to be searched for guns
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Military Command will crackdown on the
possession of guns among retired Armed Forces members, following
an armed robbery last week at a supermarket on Jl. Kali Malang in
East Jakarta.
Commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso said during a ceremony inaugurating
a military discipline campaign on Jl. Lapangan Banteng in Central
Jakarta yesterday that he is sure there are many retired
servicemen who still have their guns.
Sutiyoso said the crackdown will be conducted on a door-to-
door basis in the Armed Forces housing complex. He emphasized
that Armed Forces members are only eligible to have guns while
still in the forces.
"When they are retired they have to relinquish the guns.
However, many of them have not returned the guns to the Armed
Forces headquarters," he added.
He said the military command will ask them to surrender their
guns, saying that the guns will be processed according to the
existing military regulation.
"I have ordered the unit military chiefs to seize all
unlicensed guns," Sutiyoso said.
He said retired Armed Forces members who refuse to relinquish
their guns will face administrative sanctions. He would not
elaborate.
Last week's armed robbery at Hero Supermarket in Kali Malang
prompted the crackdown.
Three masked armed men robbed the supermarket on May 12,
making off with Rp 260,000 (US$111.82) in cash after they
randomly fired shots with automatic rifles, believed to be an FN
and AK 47.
Three men were wounded in the robbery. Several shop windows
and three cars were also damaged by gunfire.
A report said that the police apprehended two men, identified
as Imron and Hardi, at a retired servicemen's housing complex in
Kali Malang. The two men are relatives of retired Armed Forces
members.
Sutiyoso confirmed yesterday that the robbers had been
arrested, but he refused to go into detail.
He called on people not to hesitate in notifying military
command if they happen to see servicemen break the law.
"We will appreciate such information, so long as we are
provided with facts and evidence. We will withhold names of
informants. Please send letters to PO Box 222 JKP 10000," he
said. (jun)