ID :
58449
Thu, 04/30/2009 - 20:52
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/58449
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TNI CHIEF OFFERS APOLOGY OVER SENTANI INCIDENT
Jakarta, April 30 (ANRTARA) - National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief Gen Djoko Santoso has offered an apology to people and journalists who were disturbed by rioting soldiers at Army Battalion 751 Sentani in Jayapura, Papua, on Wednesday.
"The situation in the Jayapura district town of Sentani is now back under control. But I deplore Wednesday's incident and offer my apology to people and my media friends who were disturbed in the occurrence," Santoso said after meeting President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyhono at the State Palace here on Thursday.
According to the TNI chief, Army Chief of Staff Gen Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo had arrived at Army Battalion 751 Sentani to deal with the incident and to investigate into the matter before giving a sanction to those involved.
"Certainly there will be a sanction on those involved in the riot," Santoso said.
Meanwhile, Army Chief of Staff Gen Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo arrived in Jayapura on Thursday morning to hold a closed-door dialog with members of Army Battalion 751 Sentani who rioted in Jayapura, Papua, the day before.
Cenderawasih Military Command information officer Lt Col Susilo said in Jayapura that the army chief wanted to obtain first-hand information from hundreds of soldiers who staged a violent demonstration outside their commander's office on Wednesday.
The soldiers staged the rally outside their commander's office to protest a cut in their welfare allowance.
They also protested against their chief's decision to collect money from them to cover the costs of the transportation by air to Nabire of the body of one of their peers who had died, Private Joko, and his funeral.
The angry soldiers also fired shots into the air, beat up civilian onlookers and journalists trying to cover the incident, and pelted stones and other objects at the battalion's headquarters.
In the meeting with the TNI chief, President Yudhoyono said the case should be solved in the best possible way.
"The situation in the Jayapura district town of Sentani is now back under control. But I deplore Wednesday's incident and offer my apology to people and my media friends who were disturbed in the occurrence," Santoso said after meeting President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyhono at the State Palace here on Thursday.
According to the TNI chief, Army Chief of Staff Gen Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo had arrived at Army Battalion 751 Sentani to deal with the incident and to investigate into the matter before giving a sanction to those involved.
"Certainly there will be a sanction on those involved in the riot," Santoso said.
Meanwhile, Army Chief of Staff Gen Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo arrived in Jayapura on Thursday morning to hold a closed-door dialog with members of Army Battalion 751 Sentani who rioted in Jayapura, Papua, the day before.
Cenderawasih Military Command information officer Lt Col Susilo said in Jayapura that the army chief wanted to obtain first-hand information from hundreds of soldiers who staged a violent demonstration outside their commander's office on Wednesday.
The soldiers staged the rally outside their commander's office to protest a cut in their welfare allowance.
They also protested against their chief's decision to collect money from them to cover the costs of the transportation by air to Nabire of the body of one of their peers who had died, Private Joko, and his funeral.
The angry soldiers also fired shots into the air, beat up civilian onlookers and journalists trying to cover the incident, and pelted stones and other objects at the battalion's headquarters.
In the meeting with the TNI chief, President Yudhoyono said the case should be solved in the best possible way.
