| Subject: AN: No Heightened Tension In
Border Areas, Says Mily Chief
Antara - The Indonesian National News Agency June 8, 2006 Thursday NO HEIGHTENED TENSION IN BORDER AREAS, SAYS MILY CHIEF from ANTARA, The Indonesian National News Agency Jakarta, June 8 (ANTARA) - Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Air Marshal Djoko Suyanto said there was no heightened tension in regions bordering Timor Leste following the unrest in the neighbouring country "We hope the unrest there will not spread or become protracted," he said , adding that the TNI did not have any interest in the conflict in Timor Leste He said he had discussed the events in Timor Leste with the Australian military to prevent the unrest from spreading to border areas while the Australian defence attache in Jakarta was keeping him informed on developments in the former Indonesian province On the TNI's readiness to evacuate Indonesians from the neighbouring country if the unrest continued, Djoko said the TNI would maintain its present preparedness The military has so far helped to evacuate some 1,600 Indonesians with two Hercules transport planes of the Indonesian Air Force. The airlifts were conducted on May 27-30 Indonesia closed all entry points on its border with Timor Leste on May 27, to prevent an influx of East Timorese people The entry points would only be opened for Indonesians wishing to seek refugee to Indonesia and foreigners who had obtained stay permits from the Indonesian Embassy in Dili, the Timor Leste capital --- Antara - The Indonesian National News Agency June 8, 2006 Thursday MORE INDONESIANS CROSS BORDER TO FLEE DILI UNREST from ANTARA, The Indonesian National News Agency Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara), June 8 (ANTARA) - Two more Indonesian citizens reached home territory at the Mota'ain border checkpoint on Wednesday to escape continuing conflict in Timor Leste, an immigration officer said here Thursday With the arrival of the two on Wednesday evening, a total of 15 Indonesian nationals had crossed the border for the same reason since early June, Benny Hale, a staffer at the Atambua immigration office, said "The Immigration Office of Atambua in Belu District recorded two Indonesians crossing the Mota'ain check point on Wednesday evening," he said Since May 26, 2006, the Indonesian government has closed its border area to prevent any Timor Leste people from entering Indonesia, and only opens the gates for Indonesians or foreigners, following the violence in the tiny country Arson attacks have continued despite the deployment of more than 2,000 combat-ready foreign peacekeepers The violence began two months ago after Prime Minister Mar'i Alkatiri last March sacked 600 of the country's 1,400-strong army after they went on strike to protest what they said was discrimination against those from the west of the country Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Portugal have deployed troops and police to Timor Leste The Indonesian Air Force Hercules had evacuated a total of 1,600 Indonesian citizens from Timor Leste's capital city of Dili to Kupang in the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara from May 27-30, 2006 The remaining Indonesians decided to stay in the world's poorest country and find a shelter at An Nur Mosque, or in the Indonesian embassy in Dili Back to June menu |