RBAF Honours Brunei AMM Contigent
By Azaraimy HH

Bandar Seri Begawan – The Royal Brunei Armed Forces held an appreciation and welcoming ceremony to mark the return of the Brunei Darussalam Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) contingent yesterday at Parade Square `A' in Bolkiah Garrison.

A total of 14 officers comprising seven officers from Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and seven officers from Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) were presented with appreciation certificates upon completion of their monitoring assignment in Aceh, Indonesia.

Attending as guests of honour were Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi and Royal Brunei Police Commissioner, Pehin Datu Kerma Setia Dato Paduka Seri Zainuddin.

In a press release, the Ministry of Defence (MinDef) stated that the Brunei Darussalam contingent began their monitoring mission in Aceh on September 15, 2005. They were joined by other Aceh monitoring missions from.the European Union and four contributing countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) - Malaysia, Philippine, Thailand and Singapore.

The contingent was assigned to different locations in the province to observe and monitor the implementation of cessation of hostilities as well as socio-economic development aspects undertaken by the Government of Indonesia (Gol) and the Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka - GAM) pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two parties in Helsinki, Finland in August 15.

The press release also stated that up till then, the AMM has successfully carried out their duties and mandate with an efficient and outstanding accomplishment.

That achievement enabled the formation of AMM troops to reduce in numbers with only six more peace monitors from the Brunei AMM left to continually carry out their duties in Aceh Until June 2006.

The involvement of RBAF in this mission, the press release stated, is one of MinDef's initiatives in projecting positive contributions by Brunei Darussalam in keeping the peace and stability of the region.

Brunei has previously been involved in overseas peacekeeping and observing operations in Cambodia and the Philippines, which is one of the priorities outlined in the Defence White Paper 2004 that calls for the support of stability in regional countries.

Witnessing the welcoming and appreciation ceremony of the Brunei Darussalam AMM contingent yesterday morning were the Ambassador of Republic of Indonesia to Brunei Darussalam, Herijanto Soeprapto, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, Haji Mustappa Haji Sirat, Head of the Aceh Monitoring Mission, Mr Peiter Feith, deputy permanent secretaries at the Ministry of Defence, unit commanders and commandants, military directors, officers and about 1,000 RBAF personnel. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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