Volunteers to replace troops in East Timor

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)