Expert slams govt over Aceh military command<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Military observer M.T. Arifin blamed on Tuesday ministers
\nresponsible for security affairs for a lack of coordination with
\nmilitary authorities over the plan to reestablish the Iskandar
\nMuda military command in the restive province of Aceh.<\/p>\n
The government should have consulted all three chiefs of
\nstaff, particularly the Army chief of staff, about its plan to
\nrevive military commands in certain regions as the military
\ncommands are connected with the military's territorial role,
\nArifin said.<\/p>\n
\"If the Army chief of staff said he was not consulted on the
\nplan while it (the plan) has been discussed at coordination
\nmeetings of top security authorities, the ministers must have
\nbypassed certain standard procedures,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto Monday sparked
\nnew controversy on Monday over the government's plan to reinstate
\nthe military command in Aceh as he alleged that he had no
\nknowledge of the issue.<\/p>\n
Endriartono also said that the Army headquarters had not
\ndetermined whether the reestablishment of the military command in
\nAceh was required, adding that \"the state is supposed to share
\nits money with the poor Acehnese who are suffering from hunger,
\nnot revive a military command there.\"<\/p>\n
\"The reestablishment of the military command in Aceh should be
\nproposed both by the Aceh governor and military authorities, that
\nis the Army. If Endriartono said he had no knowledge of the
\nissue, I can say that the government has decided on the plan
\nwithout a proposal either from the local government or the Army,\"
\nArifin said.<\/p>\n
Separately, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
\nAffairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono refused to comment on whether or
\nnot there was a lack of coordination among ministers under his
\nsupervision, saying that the plan to reestablish the military
\ncommand in Aceh was once proposed by the Ministry of Defense as
\npart of its defense strategy.<\/p>\n
\"The plan was first discussed at the Ministry of Defense as
\nany policy on a strategic level is first proposed by the
\nministry. I can't answer every question about the plan,\" Susilo
\nasserted.<\/p>",
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