Jokowi Sees Off TNI Personnel to Serve as UN Peacekeepers
31 August 2018 13:32 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko `Jokowi` Widodo visited the National Defense Forces Peacekeeping Center (PPMI TNI) in Sentul, Bogor, West Java to see off hundreds of personnel of National Armed Force (TNI) this morning. The army personnel would serve as the United Nations peacekeepers in the Republic of Kongo and Lebanon.
Jokowi arrived at the complex boarding Anoa Panzer (armored personnel carrier). Along with TNI Commander Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto, Jokowi stood at the Panzer to the field where the ceremony took place.
The president sees off 850 personnel of RDB Task Force Garuda Contingent XXXIX-A Congo and 120 personnel of MTF Task Force Garuda Contingent XXVIII-K Lebanon.
“Today, Indonesia is proud of not only athletes’ achievement in Asian Games and the 30 gold medals acquisition, but also proudly sees off Garuda Contingent for peace mission in Congo and Lebanon. [The country] is proud to partake in maintaining world’s order as in line with our constitution mandate,” said Jokowi.
According to Jokowi, another thing to be proud of is that Garuda Contingent would utilize domestic defense equipment. “It is also to show reliable Indonesia's strategic industrial products,” he added.
Chief of TNI's international information division, Lt. Col. Hilonan Agus Cahyono, explained that Garuda Contingent XXXIX-A Congo was military personnel from all divisions, while Garuda Contingent XXVIII-K Lebanon was all from navy corps who would depart boarding national ship KRI Sultan Hasanuddin.
Accompanying President Jokowi in the ceremony were Cabinet Secretary Pramono Agung, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, and Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi.
AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI
