RI peacekeepers for Lebanon delayed again

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 10/11/2006 8:05 AM

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia's deployment of peacekeeping troops to Lebanon has been delayed for a second time due to logistical reasons.

Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Col. Ahmad Yani Basuki said the deployment of Indonesian peacekeepers to Lebanon was delayed again by the United Nations and would not take place until early November.

He said the postponement was due to technical problems faced by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

""The 851-person-strong contingent was supposed to leave on October 28, but now is slated for November 3 or 4,"" Yani was quoted by AFP as saying.

He said an advance team of around 125 personnel would now depart on Oct. 17. Indonesia had earlier said it wanted its team to be on the ground by early this month.

Israel dropped its initial objection to Indonesia participating in the expanded UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon in September.

The Jewish state and the world's most populous Muslim nation do not have diplomatic relations.

UNIFIL's troop numbers on the ground are currently around 5,200, plus an Interim Maritime Task Force.

The UN troops are eventually expected to total 15,000, alongside another 15,000 Lebanese soldiers.

In a related development, the Defense Ministry inked a deal worth Rp 287 billion (US$31.12 million) to purchase 32 French-made armored vehicles that will be used by Indonesian peacekeepers in Lebanon.

Items included in the purchase were 24 armored personnel carriers, two commando carriers and six military ambulances, Defense Ministry secretary-general Sjafrie Sjamsuddin said Tuesday.

The agreement, Sjafrie said, also included the provision of new spare parts for 14 French-made armored personnel carriers currently owned by the TNI, as well as technical assistance and technology-sharing schemes.

He said all 32 vehicles would be transported directly to Lebanon in three batches from the end of October until the end of December.

The procurement of the armored vehicles was initially been met with resistance from legislators at the House of Representatives.

Members of House Commission I on defense and foreign affairs demanded the purchase be made through a public bidding in an effort to uphold the principle of transparency at the ministry.

The Defense Ministry balked at the proposal, saying that it had no time to hold an open tender.

The lawmakers finally agreed with the government scheme of a direct purchase of the vehicles from French automaker Renault.

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