RI MAY SEND MORE TROOPS TO CONGO

Jakarta, Jan 23 (ANTARA) - Indonesia is considering the possibility of reinforcing its troops in the United Nations peacekeeping force in Congo as the conflict there has continued to simmer since last November, a military spokesman said.
Consequently, the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI)'s Headquarters has sent a technical inspection team to Congo to assess the conditions of the Indonesian contingent in the UN peacekeeping force as well as the general situation in Congo, the contingent's spokesman, Capt Leo Sugandi, said in an e-mail message from the African country.
The TNI inspection team consisting of two groups had carried out its observations in Congo from January 14 to 22, 2009, Sugandi said.
The first group which dealt with operations and training went to Kinshasa to coordinate with the military cooperation forces, military training cell and visited military observers coming from Indonesia.
The second group which focused on administration and logistics, was sent to Beni where the Indonesian contingent is based to check equipment and the readiness of forces in carrying out the UN mission.
The first group was led by Lt Col Eris Widodo Y and Major Ferry Trisnaputra and visited a training center in Kinshasa in order to get a clearer picture of the role and tasks of the UN peacekeepers in Congo.
The second group went to Beni to observe the conditions of personnel and logistics as well as the tasks now being carried out by the Indonesian contingent in Congo.
Because of the continuing tensions in Congo, the UN peacekeeping force's command was planning to increase the number of its forces to about 2,000 personnel which would be assigned to the North Kivu brigade.
A member of the Indonesian inspection team, Ferry Trisnaputra, said in the additional forces, TNI personnel would probably be part of the UN peacekeeping force's protection unit.