Troops told to kill militiamen

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Wirasakti military commander Col. Moeswarno Moesanip ordered soldiers in East Nusa Tenggara on Tuesday to arrest, disable or shoot dead Indonesian infiltrators found trying to create chaos in East Timor.

The strong warning came as rumors spread that former East Timorese militiamen were building up force to spark riots in East Timor, after international troops left the new country in May.

"It's not true that militia groups are involved in a military exercise in West Timor. Show us if they still exist and where their base is. Our duty is to disarm them and disband any armed groups," Moesanip said.

He vowed that Indonesia would not tolerate any militia activity that disturbed bilateral ties with East Timor, its former province. East Timor broke away from Indonesia in August 1999.

It had earlier been reported by media in East Timor that at least 78 armed militiamen from West Timor had infiltrated East Timor. The reports were however denied by the Indonesian military.

Pro-Indonesia militia groups were blamed for the devastating carnage in East Timor shortly after it voted for independence. --JP