Aceh gets new military chief
The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh, Aceh
Army chief of staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu installed Maj. Gen. Endang Surwarya as the new Iskandar Muda (Aceh) military commander during a ceremony here on Tuesday.
Endang replaces Maj. Gen. M. Djali Jusuf, who has been appointed expert staff coordinator to the Indonesian Military (TNI) commander. A 1973 graduate, Endang was formerly chief of staff.
Endang's appointment comes as tension mounts ahead of what appears to be imminent war with Free Aceh Movement separatists after the collapse of a peace deal between the rebels and the government.
Sources told The Jakarta Post that Endang was expected to be tougher with GAM than his predecessor. The source claimed Endang was respected by the Acehnese for his fairness.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri is expected to issue a presidential instruction giving the go ahead for war after talks with the House of Representatives, slated for Thursday.
The presidential instruction will place Endang in command of around 50,000 security personnel.
At present Aceh has around 23,000 security personnel, including 7,350 members of the Army attached to the Iskandar Muda Military Command, around 9,000 members of the National Police, 828 members of the Air Force and around 1,200 from the Navy. The rest are troops seconded to the command on a rotation basis.
Ryamizard said the large number of troops was necessary to protect the people living in villages from rebel attacks, to safeguard vital facilities such as the ExxonMobil facilities in Arun, Lhokseumawe, and to protect logistics lines.
"There are so many villages here and all need our protection. We also need troops to protect the logistic line from Medan to Aceh, not to mention the around 10 battalions tasked with protecting the vital facilities," Ryamizard said in an interview with The Jakarta Post.
"Only one-fourth of the total number of troops are mobile," he said.
Ryamizard gave assurances to the Acehnese that the military's presence in the province was to help protect the people.
"I admit there are still violations by troops and for that, I apologize," he said in a ceremony at the Iskandar Muda Military headquarters.
Ryamizard urged Acehnese to honor their pledge for a united Indonesia.
"In 1928 Indonesian youths, including Acehnese, pledged for one homeland, one nation and one language, that of Indonesia. That is a pledge that we all, including Acehnese, must honor," said Ryamizard.