ASEAN ARMY CHIEFS READY TO FACE TERRORIST THREATS:
GEN RYAMIZARD SAYS
The army chiefs of the 10-member Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) reached an agreement to face terrorist
threats -which could occur wherever and whenever by ex-changing
information and holding joint trainings for soldiers, chief
of the Indonesian Army Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu said.
Gen Ryamizard told newsmen here on Tuesday on the sidelines
of the 5th ASEAN Chief of Army Multilateral Meeting (ACAMM)
themed "Solidarity and Professionalism".
He further said the ASEAN army chiefs saw terrorism threats
were growing against human beings as well as defence forces
and the army must ready to face them.
"Measures to be taken are among others joint trainings
and information exchanges," the general added.
According to him, their staffers would formulate patterns
and formats of the information exchanges and later they
would convey to their respective superiors.
He also said terrorists had used warfare equipment as had
happened againts the WTC in the US and the JW Marriott hotel
in Jakarta.
For the Indonesian army, Gen Ryamizard noted his side formed
10 raiders battalions to face terrorist threats while to
face the threats in the country's borders, the army held
joint trainings with the Malaysian or the Philippines' armies.
Ryamizard admitted the chiefs did not discuss matters such
as those on the Jamaah Islarniyah group in detail because
it was a sensitive issue and their closed door meeting focused
more on efforts to strengthen friendship among the armies
in the region.
AARM
On the Asean Army Riffle Meeting (AARM), General Ryamizard
Ryacudu, said the implementation of the AARM can give concrete
contribution of all the armies of the ASEAN member countries
to the efforts to strengthen the regional security and ward
off rumors that ASEAN is home to terrorists.
"We don't want to be said that ASEAN is home to terrorists.
We must ward off such a rumour. Terrorism is not only the
issue of a country but it is also an international and human
issue," Ryamizard said on the side-lines of dinner party
with the army chiefs of staff of ASEAN at Hilton Hotel on
Sunday evening.
On hand at the dinner party were the army chiefs of the ten
ASEAN member countries -- Dato' Seri Mohd Azumi bin Mohamed
of Malaysia, Efren L Abu (the Philippines), POK; Seri Pahlawan
Col. Dato Paduka Haji Abdu'R Rahmani bin Dato Paduka haji
Basir (Brunei), Chea Saran (Cambodia), Desmond Kuek (Singapore),
Lt Gen Kyaw Win (Myanmar), Chaisit S h i n a w a t r a (Thailand),Kenekham
Senglathone (Laos), and Phung Quang Thanh (Vietnam).
As the Indonesian Army Chief of Staff, Ryamizard, through
the regional meeting among the ten ASEAN army chiefs of staff,
has firmly mentioned things that must be done by the armies
of ASEAN to fight against and eradicate terrorism or factors
potensial to terrorist acts According to him, factor which
must be prepared by the Indonesian National Army and its ASEAN
counterparts are information ex-change and joint exercises
against terrorist acts.
"We have to materialize the wish. The Indonesian National
Army, for ex-ample, has prepared 10 raider battalions to deal
with terrorism. And now the neighbouring countries should
do the same," he said.
The raider battalions were officiated on December, 2003, in
Jakarta and the battalions are situated at the the Indonesian
military's main command and the Indonesian National Army's
Reserve and Strategic Command (Kostrad).
"Through the AARM, we prove that the ASEAN armies are
not only trained to wage war, but also aimed at serving as
a briedge of friendship and brotherhood in ASEAN which is
home to almost 400 million people," he said.
AARM is a forum to show capabilities of shooting among soldiers
of the ASEAN armies and this is an annual activity. This year's
AARM is the 14th and all the matches are carried out at the
shooting ranges of the Infantry Division I of the Indonesian
National Army's Reserve and Strategic Command in Cilodong,
West Java, taking place from September 1 to 8, 2004.
"The ten ASEAN Armies that get together in Cilodong prove
that they can carry out their duties to foster understanding
and brotherhood among them," he said.
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