Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Emphasizes that the Safety and Security of TNI Soldiers Cannot Be Negotiated

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes that the safety and security of TNI soldiers who carry out peacekeeping duties under the flag of the United Nations cannot be negotiated.

This was said by the Spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yvonne Mewengkang, following Indonesia's plan to send peacekeepers under the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) flag in southern Lebanon next week.

It is known that the four best TNI soldiers who are serving as peacekeepers in southern Lebanon were killed in two separate incidents that occurred at the end of March. While two other soldiers were injured.

"The safety and security of our troops cannot be negotiated, cannot be bargained, that is for sure," Yvonne emphasized, when speaking to the media at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tuesday (12/5).

"The way we ensure that this does not happen again, ensuring the readiness of our troops. I'm not saying our troops are not ready, this is an attack, everything that happens on the field we never know. We ensure the full readiness of our troops, that's what the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Sugiono) conveyed at the PMPP (TNI Peacekeeping Mission Center). Our troops are there to maintain peace," he said.

Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono has confirmed that Indonesia will send peacekeepers under the UNIFIL flag again.

"On May 22, the plan is 780 people (TNI soldiers who will be sent to Lebanon)," said Foreign Minister Sugiono after a bilateral meeting with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jakarta, Tuesday (12/5).

Yesterday, Foreign Minister Sugiono attended a Coordination Meeting of the Peacekeeping Mission Coordination Team (TKMPP) at the TNI Peacekeeping Mission Center, Sentul.

"As one of the largest contributors to the UN Peacekeeping Mission, Indonesia continues to carry out the constitutional mandate and foreign policy of being free to actively support world peace, including through the assignment of the Garuda Contingent Task Force in UNIFIL (Lebanon)," wrote Foreign Minister Sugiono on the Menluri Instagram account.

"In the midst of uncertain regional and global dynamics, I emphasize that the state will always be present to ensure the safety and protection of Indonesian peacekeepers," he continued.

Yvonne revealed that when meeting TNI soldiers who would undergo a UN mission, Foreign Minister Sugiono said, "I am very proud to meet friends here and will be even more proud to meet again here safely."

Menlu, according to Yvonne, on that occasion also asked PMPP as a training place for Indonesian troops to provide comprehensive training and from all aspects.

"Because going to a conflict country is different, there are many things they have to learn," he said.

The government, added Yvonne, through PTRI New York always emphasizes in various meetings of UN peacekeepers, the importance of ensuring the safety of troops in the field because their mission is to maintain peace.

The four best Indonesian sons, Major Inf (Anm) Zulmi Aditya Iskandar, Serka (Anm) Nur Ichwan Kopda (Anm) Farizal Rhomadhon and Kopda (Anm) Rico Pramudia who are part of the Yonmek TNI Konga XXIII-S/UNIFIL Task Force, were killed in two separate incidents on March 29-30.

Kopda (Anm) Farizal was killed when a projectile exploded near a UNIFIL facility in Adchit Al Qusayr on January 29. In addition, three other TNI soldiers, Kopda (Anm) Rico, Praka Bayu Prakoso and Praka Arif Kurniawan were injured in the incident.

Later, Kopda (Anm) Rico was announced to have breathed his last due to his injuries after receiving treatment for almost a month.

On March 30, an explosion that hit a convoy of UNIFIL vehicles near Bani Hayyan killed Major (Anm) Zulmi and Serka (Anm) Nur Ichwan.

UNIFIL based on the results of an initial investigation earlier this month announced that a projectile that killed a UN peacekeeper in Lebanon on March 29 was fired by an Israeli military tank.

Based on the analysis of the location of the impact and the fragments found at the position, UNIFIL said the bullet was a 120mm tank main armament projectile fired by an Israeli Merkava tank from the east, towards Ett Taibe, quoted from Anadolu.

UNIFIL noted that it had provided the coordinates of all its positions and facilities to the Israeli military on March 6 and again on March 22, weeks before the incident, in an effort to reduce the risk to its personnel.

Regarding the explosion on March 30, Dujarric as quoted from a statement shared by the UN Information Center in Indonesia said based on evidence, analysis of the location of the explosion, and the second IED found near the scene of the crime on the same day, the explosion was caused by an IED activated by the victim (tripwire). The IED was most likely installed by Hezbollah.