Volunteers to replace troops in East Timor

JAKARTA (JP): The government is planning to withdraw two battalions of troops currently stationed in East Timor and replace them with volunteers recruited from among the local people.

Minister of Security and Defense Gen. (ret.) Edi Sudradjat disclosed yesterday that the plan involves recruiting some 1,200 people from all regencies in the province to serve as Sukarelawan Rakyat, or Wanra (People's Volunteers).

"The tasks and details of these Wanra units are fully under the authority of the Armed Forces Headquarters," Edi told a hearing with the House of Representatives's Commission I, which oversees national security.

The minister said the government was also planning to set up units of Rakyat Terlatih, or Ratih (trained people in national defense) in every military district command in Indonesia.

The government has already provided thousands of people with basic training in national defense, but they have not yet been properly organized. They include university students and civil guards (Hansip).

Edi said there were more than 50,000 people, outside of the Armed Forces, who have received basic training in national defense.

The government has ruled out compulsory military service chiefly because of the huge cost that such a program would entail. Nevertheless, by law, every one is expected to participate in defending the nation against foreign aggression.

The law also empowers the government to call for a total mobilization in times of emergency.

Edi said that this year the government was expanding basic national defense training to every village.

There will also be further training on armed resistance for those who have previously had basic training, he said.

In the 1996/1997 fiscal year, the government will begin trial runs of the establishment of Ratih units at some of the regional military commands, he added.

The minister acknowledged that the government's efforts to strengthen national defense "have not been optimal."

He said that the government was currently drafting a series of bills on national defense, covering Rakyat Terlatih, mobilization and demobilization and national security generally.

The bill on national security was originally planned to be submitted to the House of Representatives last year, but was bumped off because of other more pressing legislations.

Edi said the draft of the bill was currently in the hands of the State Secretariat and would be submitted later this year. (rms/emb)