Kupang – The Commander of Korem [Military Sub-Area Command] 161/Wirasakti Kupang, Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), Col M Moesanip was of the opinion that East Timor's separation from Indonesia via the referendum on 30 August 1999 was the result of poor leadership, in particular in developing the cultural and public life of the East Timorese people who had been integrated with Indonesia for 23 years.

"We have to admit this honestly. If the East Timorese people already had a feeling of nationalism as Indonesians, it's not possible that they would have had a referendum, and... [ellipsis as published] the proof is that we lost," he said when accepting the deployment of TNI [Indonesian National Military Forces] troops from Infantry Battalion 721/Makacau at Tenau Port in Kupang, on Thursday [10 June].

The troops from Kodam VII/Wirabuana will be deployed on the NTT-East Timor border, replacing TNI troops from Infantry Battalion 410/Alugoro Kodam IV/Diponegoro who have been deployed for a year and one month in the NTT border region in the Belu District.

In the welcoming ceremony for 420 personnel from Infantry Battalion 721/Makacau which was directly led by Moesanip, the deputy chief of police for the NTT Area, Senior Commissioner Arthur Damanik, was present, as well as a number of TNI leaders in the Korem 161/Wirasakti area. [Passage omitted]

[BBC Monitoring. Source: Media Indonesia, Jakarta, June 4.]