Jakarta – The Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) on Wednesday denounced the shooting of three Indonesians by Timor Leste border police last Friday (Dec. 6).

"We should remind (the Timor Leste police) that the shooting should be the last. Don't repeat it, or face the consequences," Hopuse Speaker Agung Laksono said.

The shooting was a betrayal of the Indonesian nation and therefore, the entire nation must denounce it and file a strong protest to the Timor Leste government, he said.

He called for a joint investigation by Indonesian and Timor Leste officers into the shooting. "The investigation is needed to know the motive behind the shooting and avoid varying conclusions on it. More importantly, so that similar incidents can be prevented from happening in the future," he said.

The three were shot dead about 50 meters into Timor Leste territory from the border it shares with Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province.

Indonesian Military officials contend the men – former members of the Red Cross and White militia group who moved to East Nusa Tenggara after Timor Leste's violent separation from Jakarta in 1999 – intended to fish in a nearby river when they were shot.

The shooting is the second in less than a year. Earlier on April 21, 2005, Indonesia's 1st Lt. Teddy Setiawan was also shot by the Timor Leste border police.