May 10, 2005 7:02am
Asia Intelligence Wire
Denpasar, May 9 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian army is to form a special
battalion to guard the country's 240-km-long land border with East
Timor or Timor Leste in East Nusatenggara, a spokesman said.
"The army's Infantry Battalion 744 in East Nusa Tenggara will
be upgraded to become a special battalion. We hope we will accomplish
this in 2006," Maj Gen Herry Tjahjana, chief of the Undaya
Military Command overseeing East Nusatenggara, said.
The upgrading would mean the battalion's professionalism, equipment
and personnel strength would be increased, he said.
"There are still many problems in the border areas,"
he said.
"I think they can all be settled in the future. Especially
after we have set up the special battalion," he said.
Aside from Infantry Battalion 744, three other infantry battalions
from the Udayana Military Command were currently on duty in areas
bordering East Timor.
A special battalion comprises five companies or 1,039 men.
An Indonesian Army officer recently was severely injured in a shootout
with East Timorese National Police while trying to foil a fuel oil
smuggling attempt in the area.
