"However, until now, no command has been received from the headquarters of the Indonesian Army to send troops to Rakhine, Myanmar. The TNI AD is only preparing its troops," Head of the Army Information Department Brigadier General Alfret Denny Tuejeh noted here on Thursday.
He stated that the Army performed tasks based on the orders of the TNI commander.
"We only conduct training. Whatever task we will do is in accordance with the orders of the TNI commander," he remarked.
The TNI is tasked with securing the border.
"Refugees or citizens from other countries who enter Indonesia illegally will be arrested," he noted.
Present at the border are not just personnel of the TNI but also those from the immigration and customs, among others, he pointed out.
The soldiers have received training, including in tactics and techniques, to secure the border region.
"Before the soldiers perform their duties, we impart knowledge on tactics and techniques in securing the border areas," he remarked.
The Indonesian government will send humanitarian aid to Bangladesh for the Rohingya refugees whose number continues to increase, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno L. P. Marsudi had earlier said.
"I have urged our ambassador in Dhaka to follow up on what the refugees need now," Marsudi noted here.
The refugees need, among other things, all-season tents, as the existing ones could no longer accommodate them.
The foreign affairs ministry has prepared a list of the refugees needs that include essentials, such as tents, food, and drinking water.
She said President Joko Widodo had urged her to send all necessary assistance to the refugees.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
