TNI on alert, ready to close border with East Timor

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (Antara): The Indonesian Military has put its soldiers on alert along border with East Timor following riots incited by deserted soldiers there and ready to close the border, an Indonesian military officer said Wednesday.

"All border posts are on red alert and we will close the border if there is another exodus caused by the riots," said Wirasakti Regional Military Command Col. APJ Noch Bola.

"We do not want the deserters to use our territory as their fighting base."

Bola said if violence escalated in East Timore, there would be another exodus just like what the East Timorese did during the 1975 civil war and after the secession referendum in 1999.

East Timorese Armed Forces commander Brig. Gen. Taur Matan Ruak dismissed about 600 soldiers who went on strike since Feb. 8 complaining poor living conditions and selective promotion.

The deserting soldiers -- more than one third of East Timorese force -- carried along with them their weapons. About half were reportedly run amok in Dili while the rest were being consolidated in East Timorese forests.

"We do not want East Nusa Tenggara province to keep getting humanitarian burden from East Timorese problem. I am sure the East Timorese National Police' border patrol unit will force their people to enter Indonesia," said Bola.

"That's why we are closing our border for East Timorese."

Bola also said there was no need to deploy reinforcement along the border with current three battalions of about 2,200 soldiers guarding the border.

Indonesia annexed East Timor in 1976 after its colonial master, Portugal, pulled out in 1975.

The annexation got tacit approval from Western countries, especially the United States and Australia, fearing a communist domino effect following the American defeat in Vietnam.

During Indonesia's rule, the deserters belonged to Gusmao's left-leaning Fretilin resistance group. (***)

Indonesians leaving East Timor after riot

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (Antara): Indonesians working and residing in the Timor Lest capital Dili have started to leave the city following a riot by deserters from the East Timor armed forces, an Indonesian Military officer said Wednesday.

"There were about 30 Indonesians who fled Dili and entered East Nusa Tenggara province Tuesday afternoon following the riot," said the commander of the Wirasakti Regional Military Command, Col. APJ Noch Bola.

"There are about 300 fully armed deserters running riot in Dili and another 300 deserters are consolidating in the forests in East Timor," he added, quoting reports.

The riot started March 25 when the deserters weredecommissioned by East Timor armed forces commander Brig. Gen. Taur Matan Ruak.

The deserters -- more than one-third of the country's soldiers -- went on strike Feb. 8 complaining about poor living conditions and selective promotion.

The rioters ransacked the residence of the East Timor police deputy chief, which is located near the Indonesian Embassy in Dili. They also pillaged houses in several towns.

Bola urged all Indonesians still in East Timor to immediately leave the former Indonesian province.

"The possibility of a civil war is there in East Timor after the UN ends its mission there on May 20. The deserters brought with them their weapons," he said.

"Not even their commander and President Xanana Gusmao are able to stop them."

Indonesia annexed East Timor in 1976 after its colonial master, Portugal, pulled out in 1975.
The annexation got tacit approval from Western countries, especially the United States and Australia, fearing a communist domino effect following the American defeat in Vietnam.

During Indonesia's rule, the deserters belonged to Gusmao's left-leaning Fretilin resistance group. (***)

About 200 more East Timorese soldiers join strike

DILI (AP): Around 200 more soldiers from East Timor's 1,500-strong army have joined a strike over poor conditions and selective promotions, officials said Thursday.

The troops walked out of their barracks to join the 400 who have been on strike since Feb. 8, said Gastao Salsinha, a coordinator of the strike.

The soldiers have refused to return to duty, demanding an independent investigation into their complaints about working conditions and promotion rules. They delivered a petition to President Xanana Gusmao, who urged them to return to barracks andpromised a government inquiry.

"We demand the government and President Gusmao set up a good mechanism to solve our problem because more and more soldiers are on strike," said Salsinha, adding that a total of 593 troops had now joined the action.

A military spokesman said he could not confirm that the strike was spreading.
"I have not heard that. We will need to investigate the report," said Col. Lere Anan Timor, deputy chief of the East Timor Defense Force.

The defense force was formed six years ago, when the United Nations took over control of the nascent country following an independence referendum that ended Indonesia's 24-year presence.

Indonesia invaded East Timor in 1975 after the region was left by Portuguese colonial rule in civil war. The Indonesia's move was supported by the U.S. and other Western countries, fearing the spread of communism to the region.

The force currently consists of two light infantry battalions and two reserve battalions. It also has a small naval component numbering about 100 men and equipped with two patrol boats supplied by Portugal.

The army - which was trained by Australian and Portuguese instructors - is designed to deal with border incursions from Indonesia or, in the case of another full-scale invasion, to slow down the attackers until outside help arrives.

Most of the servicemen involved in the protest are said to be former insurgents who fought against Indonesia's occupation forces during the 24-year war in which nearly 200,000 Timorese perished. (**)