Jakarta Kodam Jaya Preparing 46 of Armored Cars for Lebanon
Thursday, 03 August, 2006 | 18:39 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Military Area Command of Jakarta Raya (Kodam Jaya) is preparing 46 armored cars to support Indonesian peacekeeping troops that will be sent to Lebanon.

“We've taken them from the Seventh Special Armored Cars Cavalry Battalion at Cijantung,” said Brigadier General Darpito Pudyastungkoro, the Chief of Staff of Kodam Jaya yesterday (2/8).

According to CAJ Asep Sapari, Head of the Information Division at Kodam Jaya, there are various types of armored cars that will be sent to Lebanon including personnel transport, command and observation armored cars.

“We're also sending crews for the armored cars,” he said.

For the time being, according to Darpito, Kodam Jaya is waiting for the Indonesian Military (TNI) Headquarters to announce when the troops will leave.

Separately, TNI Commander Air Marshal Djoko Suyanto said that the TNI has prepared 600 officers experienced in the Bonggo and Bosnia wars as the peacekeeping troops under the name of the United Nations (UN) in the Middle East.

“We're waiting for the results of the UN Security Council meeting,” he said.

The troops consist of three companies from the Army Strategic Reserve Command as well as a company of marines.

They will be equipped with between 50 and 70 strategic and combat vehicles.

Djoko has asked that civilians do not leave for Lebanon.

“Just the authorized institutions,” he said in response to Islam Defenders Front's demand to the Department of Youth and Sports Affairs to get involved in the Lebanon conflict.

The government has warned civilian organizations not to send their members to take part in the Lebanon conflict.

“(Even) our citizens have been asked to register so that we can protect them. Don't let people outside of Lebanon dream of coming in,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Nur Hassan Wirajuda.
Rifka R, Badriah, Oktamandjaya and Aguslia