1,200 Indonesian Army Soldiers Arrive In Sorong, Ready To Be The Border Security Task Force To Guard Development

Illustration of members of the Indonesian Army. (Between-Aprillio Akbar)

PAPUA - A total of 1,200 TNI AD soldiers who will serve as the Border Security Task Force (Pamtas) have arrived in Sorong, West Papua.

Pangdam XVIII/Kasuari Major General (Mayjen) TNI Gabriel Lema said they would serve in the Kasuari Kodam area to oversee every government development.

Currently, thousands of soldiers are divided into the three task forces, including two task forces that have arrived in Sorong, and another task force is on their way or still in Ambon.

"The two task forces that have arrived are Battalion 133 / Satria Yudha from Kodam I / Bukit Barisan Palembang and Battalion 623 / Bakti Wira Utama from Kodam VI / Wulawarman Makassar," he said in Sorong, West Papua, Wednesday, April 12, which was confiscated by Antara.

Of these three Kodams, he said, each battalion sent 400 personnel so that the number was 1,200 personnel. Subsequently sent to all areas of the XVIII Kasuari Kodam which includes West Papua and Southwest Papua. They served for a year to secure development.

"The point of securing development. What is the attention or commitment of President Joko Widodo and his staff down is how to make efforts to carry out development in terms of not only running, but running," said TNI Major General Gabriel Lema.

In addition, he said, the main task of the TNI is to guard and maintain the integrity of the territory of the Republic of Indonesia while ensuring the protection of the nation and state.

The presence of the Indonesian Army, said the Commander of the Kasuari Regional Military Command, in addition to providing security, is also part of the catalyst in order to provide education to the public.

According to him, there are people who may still need an approach so that the TNI must know exactly and be realistic to provide good and maximum education.

The Kasuari Military Commander also advised to prepare themselves physically and mentally well in the task force, then study the characteristics of the local community through a humanist approach.

"The army has established harmonious communication with community leaders, religious leaders, female leaders, and local youth leaders to support the implementation of development security tasks," said the Pangdam.

Previously, TNI Major General Gabriel Lema accompanied by Danrem 181/PVT Brigadier General Juniras Lumbantoruan, led the ceremony for the acceptance of the Yonif 133/YS and Infantry Battalion 623/BWU regional Pamtas task force in the West Papua Kogasgab area in 2023 at the Yonif 762/VYS ceremony on Jalan Ahmad Yani, Tuesday, April 11.