---------------------------------------------------------- Live and work in the USA legally: Register for the GREEN CARD LOTTERY! Visit http://www.us-immigration.org -0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0 Indonesia Daily News Online http://www.indo-news.com/ Free Email @KotakPos.com visit: http://my.kotakpos.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------- Antara, 18 Agustus 2000 ANTI-RI QUARTERS TRYING TO SLANDER TNI, SAYS REGIONAL MILY COMMANDER Denpasar, Aug 18 (ANTARA) - There are indications anti- Indonesian quarters want to discredit and slander National Defence Forces (TNI) personnel stationed at the border with East Timor, a senior military officer said here. Udayana Regional Military Commander Maj Gen Kiki Syahnakri said by purveying reports that TNI personnel were involved in murder and border violations, those quarters hoped to drag down Indonesia`s image in the eyes of the international world. Speaking to the press after attending a ceremony to mark the country`s Independence Day, Kiki said the indications that they were attempting to discredit the TNI could be seen in several incidents that had lately happened in areas on the border between East Nusa Tenggara and East Timor. The death of a New Zealand soldier in the UN Peace Keeping Force in East Timor earlier this month, for example, was being used by the anti-Indonesian elements as an opportunity to spread slander about the TNI and thus to change the international community`s perception of Indonesia. Those elements were trying to make the world believe that the death of the New Zealand soldier was really the responsibility of the Indonesian military. "This is outright slander, he said. The anti-Indonesian people were trying to capitalize on the fact that near the site where the body of the New Zealand soldier was found, the UNPKF had discovered a backpack and military uniform bearing alleged insignia of Indonesia`s Special Troops. "This is clearly an effort to slander TNI," he said. With the finding of a backpack containing a military uniform usually worn by the TNI`s red berets, the anti-Indonesian side hoped that the international world would immediately accuse TNI of having committed the murder. "I strongly resent any side that is attempting to accuse TNI of being behind the murder," he stressed. According to him, the finding of evidence bearing Kopassus attributes at the location of the murder was really illogical. "How could a professional soldier like a red beret leave behind all kinds of trail or his attributes on the location of the murder," he said. A professional soldier never wants to leave behind such trail in each of his action. Therefore, the finding of red beret`s attributes in the location was only an attempt to slander the TNI, Kiki said. Asked about a possible involvement of East Timor National Resistance Council (CNRT) which may fan out such slander, Kiki said he believed the murder was more likely to have been committed by Xanana Gusmao-led organization. "It may be the CNRT that has committed such a murder with the hope that International world will accuse TNI of being involved in the case," he said. In fact, he further, TNI never had any intention and the interest to put anything disorder along the border shared by East Timor and Indonesia. (U.DPS05/DPSRU/DPS02/b/RSI-03/IAJM- 00:01/c/fn01/00:08) 1808000013 NNNN ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 23 Aug 2000 jam 07:30:17 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
