Impending reshuffle in TNI denied<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Military (TNI) Commander Adm. Widodo
\nA.S. poured cold water on rumors of an impending major shake-up
\nin the Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a hearing on Tuesday with House Commission I for
\ndefense, foreign and political affairs, Widodo said he had not
\nheard of any reports regarding the reshuffle.<\/p>\n
\"I have not seen any meeting or read any document related to
\nthe planned reshuffle. If there was any, the meeting would have
\nhad no influence on us,\" Widodo said.<\/p>\n
He unveiled, however, promotions for some officers in the near
\nfuture, but no official announcement will be made saying \"it is a
\ncommon rotation\".<\/p>\n
Rumors of a meeting between top military and civilian
\nofficials aimed at accelerating a reshuffle in favor of Army
\nChief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto and chief of Army Strategic
\nReserves Command (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah have
\nbeen circulating over the past few days.<\/p>\n
Participants of the meeting reportedly approved a document
\ncalled Bulak Rantai, which refers to the site of the gathering in
\na housing complex of senior Army officers in Kramat Jati, East
\nJakarta. The meeting was said to have been hosted by Maj. Gen.
\nSaurip Kadi, the territorial assistant to Tyasno, on April 16.<\/p>\n
Prominent attendants included Agus, Jakarta Military Command's
\nChief of Staff Brig. Gen. Romulo Simbolon, then acting state
\nsecretary Bondan Gunawan and some student activists, according to
\nthe document.<\/p>\n
It said the military clique was intended to cut the network of
\nofficers linked to former Kostrad chief Lt. Gen. Djadja Suparman
\nand former TNI chief Gen. (ret) Wiranto. This, according to the
\ndocument, will pave the way for Agus and Romulo to occupy key
\nposts as Army chief of staff and Jakarta Military commander
\nrespectively.<\/p>\n
Consequently, the document speculated Tyasno would replace
\nWidodo and Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu
\nwould be promoted to Kostrad chief.<\/p>\n
Saurip confirmed the meeting, but denied any ploy to pave the
\nway for those military men to occupy the top posts in the Army.<\/p>\n
\"What was called Bulak Rantai was a ceremony to celebrate my
\nrank's promotion from one-star general to two-star general,\" said
\nSaurip as quoted by Tekad weekly tabloid.<\/p>\n
Saurip denied that Bondan, often called the patron of the
\ngrouping, attended the meeting.<\/p>\n
Bondan resigned from his post recently following reports of
\nhis alleged involvement in the State Logistics Agency (Bulog)
\nscandal.<\/p>\n
It was not known whether the resignation of Bondan was also
\nlinked to the disclosure of the document.<\/p>\n
Widodo lashed out on Tuesday at media reports of the major
\nreshuffle, saying TNI had always complied with its standard
\nprocedures in case of promotion and rotation of officers.<\/p>\n
He said the decision concerning posts elevating officers to
\nmajor generals fell entirely on the TNI council for high-ranking
\npromotions and duty rotations (Wanjakti), while those regarding
\nthe chiefs of staff went to the President. Other promotions of
\nsenior officers to strategic posts, such as Kostrad and the
\nArmy's Special Force (Kopassus), will be decided by Wanjakti upon
\nhearing the President's opinion.<\/p>\n
Tyasno, who accompanied Widodo during the hearing, was
\ntightlipped about the reports. He denied on Friday the rumors of
\nconspiracy involving Agus and Bondan and a plan to precipitate an
\nArmy reshuffle.<\/p>\n
Tyasno also stressed that no outside individuals could
\ninfluence a military reshuffle.<\/p>\n
On a separate occasion, Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono
\nsaid the planned reshuffle in the Army had nothing to do with his
\noffice or his efforts to promote civilian supremacy over the
\nmilitary.<\/p>\n
\"The shake-up had nothing to do with my office because TNI is
\nnot under the authority of the Ministry of Defense. I do not have
\nthe right to comment on the reshuffle,\" Juwono said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Juwono refused to elaborate further on the issue, although his
\noffice joins Wanjakti.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Ryamizard denied his involvement in the reported
\nmeeting.<\/p>\n
\"I often tell my subordinates, and also myself, that we must
\nfocus on our duties and not think about others. If you are
\ninvolved in the affairs of others, it will reduce you to an
\nunprofessional soldier,\" Ryamizard said after a military function
\nin the command's main regiment (Rindam) in Condet, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Ryamizard said he handed over the matter to the council to
\ndecide whether he would advance his career.<\/p>\n
\"I don't like to dream. It would hurt me if the dream did not
\nhappen,\" he said. (asa\/rms\/dja)<\/p>",
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