Chiefs of staff back Widodo as commander

Chiefs of staff back Widodo as commander

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Air Force chief Marshall Hanafie Asnan said on Saturday that all
three chiefs of staff had agreed to support Adm. Widodo A.S. as
the Indonesian Military (TNI) commander, in order to maintain
unity in the TNI.

"As long as the commitment among the three chiefs of staff is
positive, why shouldn't we support it? I guess such a commitment
is reasonable," Hanafie told reporters on the sidelines of a
ceremony to open a new warehouse belonging to the Indonesian
Aerosport Federation (FASI) along with the Indonesian Air Force,
at Halim Perdanakusuma air base in East Jakarta.

Hanafie added, "to appoint the TNI chief is the President's
prerogative, which has its own procedures."

Hanafie's announcement has highlighted the differences between
the military's top leaders and President Megawati Soekarnoputri
on the future leadership of the TNI.

Although Megawati has yet to reveal her choice, senior leaders
of her party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan), have openly shown their preference for Lt. Gen.
Djamari Chaniago, the incumbent Military General Affairs chief of
staff.

Widodo was the choice of Megawati's predecessor, Abdurrahman
Wahid, who broke with the tradition of giving the military's top
job to an Army general.

Earlier, the Army's spokesman, Brig. Gen. Ismet Herdy, had
said that three of the chiefs of staff had agreed to support
Widodo as the TNI chief, despite the fact that a new individual
was meant to be appointed as his successor.

"The three chiefs of staff have decided that the TNI must
maintain its current unity, and Pak Widodo is the right man in
the right place to do so," Ismet said.

However, widespread rumors suggest that the TNI has already
nominated four generals to President Megawati as candidates for
the position of the new TNI chief. The President was reportedly
expected to carry out the replacement of the TNI chief, as well
as that of the National Police chief, after the People's
Consultative Assembly Annual Session, which ended on Nov. 9.

Apart from Hanafie, the other four-star generals are incumbent
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and former Army
chief of staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto. The other candidate is a
three-star general, Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago.

Djamari reportedly has the strongest support, as the House of
Representatives supported Mega's decision to appoint "a younger
chief to lead the military".

Widodo, a 1968 graduate of the Navy Academy, reached
retirement age two years ago but his term was extended for
another five years pending the appointment of a new TNI chief.

Like Widodo, Hanafie, a 1969 graduate of the Air Force
Academy, reached retirement age last November but former
president Abdurrahman Wahid extended his term of office. At the
time, Abdurrahman was planning to appoint Hanafie as TNI
commander, replacing Widodo. No explanation has been given as to
why the plan was canceled.

Meanwhile, Tyasno, a 1970 graduate and Endriartono, a 1971
graduate, both of the Armed Forces Academy, will reach retirement
age next year. Djamari, on the other hand, is due to retire in
2003.