The Army reshuffle<\/p>\n
As could have been expected, the replacement on Monday of Lt.
\nGen. Agus Wirahadikusumah, the chief of the Army Strategic
\nReserves Command (Kostrad), has opened up a trail of questions
\nthat are begging to be answered.<\/p>\n
Kostrad, after all, is considered to be the Army's preeminent
\ncombat force as well as a power base and stepping stone toward
\nmore lofty positions within the Indonesian Military (TNI).<\/p>\n
Gen. Wirahadikusumah, who was appointed in March at the
\nsuggestion of President Abdurrahman Wahid, has thus held the
\nposition for just about four months.<\/p>\n
The basic question, of course, is why was Gen. Agus replaced?<\/p>\n
The official answer to the question was given to reporters on
\nMonday by TNI spokesman Air Rear Marshall Graito Usodo. The main
\nreason, Graito said, was that \"our organization needs changes and
\nthese have been adjusted to the present conditions and
\nsituation.\"<\/p>\n
But although \"organizational needs\" were certainly part of the
\nmotive, not much can be learned from such a standard official
\nanswer unless one reads between the lines and finds the real
\nreason or reasons underlying the move.<\/p>\n
A little more light was shed on the matter by the comment made
\nby Gen. Agus himself. Answering reporters at a news conference,
\nthe general said his decision to order an audit of a foundation
\nowned by Kostrad on suspicions of graft could have been among the
\nreasons for his replacement.<\/p>\n
More likely to be the main reason, however, is that the move
\nwas a political decision taken by President Abdurrahman Wahid,
\nwho as the head of state and head of government is also the
\nSupreme Commander of TNI.<\/p>\n
As may be recalled, Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah was chief of the
\nWirabuana Military Command in Ujungpandang (Makassar), South
\nSulawesi, before he was called to Jakarta at the suggestion of
\nthe President because of the general's reformist ideas.<\/p>\n
Among high-ranking military officers, for example, Gen. Agus
\nWirahadikusumah was among the very few, if not the only one, to
\nopenly support the idea of abolishing the sociopolitical role of
\nTNI and turning it into a professional military force.<\/p>\n
The President, apparently impressed by the general's reformist
\nviews, suggested that with such a vision, Agus deserved to be
\ngiven a post in Jakarta rather than in some far-out region such
\nas Makassar. Thus, Gen. Agus was moved to Jakarta where he
\nquickly rose to the position of Kostrad commander.<\/p>\n
By supporting Gen. Agus, however, the President antagonized
\nthose generals -- and there are presumably quite a number of them
\nleft in TNI -- who are reluctant to give up the privileged
\nposition of the Indonesian Military.<\/p>\n
The present move to replace Gen. Agus from his powerful
\nposition, then, could be seen as an effort on the part of the
\nPresident to improve his relations with TNI and at the same time
\nend the divisions therein.<\/p>\n
For sure, with the upcoming Annual Session of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly (MPR) due to start on Aug. 7, there is
\nample justification for the President to do so. The beleaguered
\nPresident is at present under heavy criticism from various sides
\nfor his handling of the administration, and the possibility
\ncannot be discounted that some of the factions in the upcoming
\nAnnual Session will try to make it highly uncomfortable for the
\nPresident and possibly even try to unseat him.<\/p>\n
Patching up his relationship with the military at this point,
\ntherefore, makes sense for Abdurrahman. Where that leaves the
\nnation, however, is a question whose answer may not please
\neveryone, particularly those prodemocracy groups in society who
\nhave sacrificed much in their fight for democratization and
\ncivilian supremacy in this country.<\/p>\n
The fact that appointed military representatives are likely to
\ncontinue to maintain seats in the MPR, the highest law-making
\nbody in this country, is an indication that true democracy may
\ntake longer to establish than many of us would wish.<\/p>",
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