Troops, warships stand by for Mega's visit

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Military (TNI) headquarters has set up a joint task force of 2,000 Army, Navy and Air Force personnel to safeguard President Megawati Soekarnoputri's historic four-hour visit to attend East Timor's declaration of independence at midnight Sunday.

The TNI also has six Indonesian warships stationed near the East Timor capital of Dili, as well as one Air Force Hercules C- 130, to anticipate possible security disturbances, TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said on Friday.

He said the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) had allowed the TNI to station its ships off the coast and troops in Dili and nearby border areas.

"This joint security task force will be led by the Navy's Eastern Fleet Commander Rear Adm. Syahroni Kasnadi and is to be assisted by the Presidential Security Guard Corps (Paspampres) which has limited personnel," Sjafrie said.

The joint security task force comprises troops from the Army's Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad), the Navy's Marine Corps and the Air Force's Special Force (Paskhas).

The Paspampres team, led by Col. Suryo Prabowo, was expected to arrive in Dili on Friday night.

The six Indonesian warships are the Tanjung Kambani, Teluk Fatahillah, Badik, Hiu, Teluk Sampit and the Teluk Mandar. Dozens of amphibious tanks and a number of Army's helicopters are also readied to guard the president who is expected to stay overnight in Denpasar, Bali, after attending the celebrations.

TNI chief Adm. Widodo A.S. will directly monitor the operation from the Tanjung Kambani, which is equipped with an emergency room should "something happen" to the President during her visit.

Sjafrie said security for all invited guests, including Megawati, was supposed to be the responsibility of the East Timor administration, but he underlined that "the TNI would not take any risk, considering that the celebration will be held in the open air at night".

Megawati's visit to East Timor has received criticism from senior military figures and Indonesian war veterans who had served in the former Indonesian province.

TNI headquarters initially opposed the visit due to a number of outstanding issues, including refugees and Indonesian assets, following the 1999 UN-sponsored vote in which the overwhelming majority voted for independence from Indonesia.

Several former government, military and police officials are facing trials at the Indonesian Rights Tribunal for alleged gross human rights violation before, during, and after the 1999 ballot. If proven guilty, they will face a minimum of 10-years jail.

Sjafrie said the TNI would be realistic in observing the ongoing rights tribunal.

"But people should understand that what the TNI has done in East Timor was part of its dedication to this country," he said.

In observance of the East Timor independence celebrations, several former East Timorese leaders attempted to meet Megawati on Friday. They included former East Timor governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares, former pro-Jakarta militia commander Eurico Guterres and a number of former district chiefs and legislators.

Megawati, however, refused to meet them due to a tight schedule although they had arrived at her presidential residence in Central Jakarta at 9:30 a.m.

Abilio, who looked disappointed at Megawati's rejection, left the residence without saying a word. Meanwhile, Guterres told reporters that he demanded the Indonesian government help them by, among other things, providing them with identity cards to show that they were Indonesian citizens.