JAKARTA (JP): Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) chief
Lt. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu has ordered all members of the
Indonesian Military (TNI) to maintain their neutrality and not to
take sides with certain ethnic and religious groups.
If the soldiers could not remain neutral, they should quit,
Ryamizard told members of Battalion 503 in the Maluku capital of
Ambon on Tuesday.
Ryamizard said Battalion 503 members were expected to help
restore security in Ambon, which had been rocked by communal
conflicts over the past three years.
He said Battalion 503 in Ambon was expected to stampout
separatist groups, including the Republic of SouthMaluku (RMS)
that tried to secede from the unitary state of Indonesia.
Ryamizard said earlier that Kostrad would holdexercises in
Ambon in July to help end the prolonged conflicts in the restive
city.
He also expressed hope that Battalion 503personnel could show
their professionalism so that they would be able to identify
whichones were common people and those who were enemies.
He said that if the soldiers could not show professionalism and
took sides, they would be considered disloyal and must resign from
the TNI.
