Imparsial warns TNI against promoting dubious officers

Imparsial warns TNI against promoting dubious officers

Tiarma Siboro
Jakarta

Respected human rights watchdog Imparsial has urged the
Indonesian Military (TNI) not to promote officers with
questionable track records on human rights into strategic posts,
as such a move would threaten internal reform within the
military.

At a press conference held in response to the recent reshuffle
in the TNI, the group also warned of a possible return of
"conservative military officers" who lack respect for human
rights.

"The TNI Chief must clarify the (recent reshuffle) decision
and let the public have access to (future) decision-making
processes, otherwise we'll conclude that the TNI has failed in
its internal reform," said Rachland Nashiddik, a director at
Imparsial, which was co-founded by top human rights campaigner
Munir, who was believed murdered during a flight from Jakarta to
the Netherlands last year.

Late last month, the TNI launched its first major reshuffle in
a year, affecting some 42 middle to high ranking officers. But
controversy emerged concerning the appointments of Maj. Gen.
Sriyanto Muntrasan as the new Siliwangi Military Commander
overseeing West Java, and Col. Chairawan as the new Lilawangsa
Military Resort Commander overseeing northern and eastern Aceh.

Sriyanto, who is the outgoing commander of the Army's Special
Forces (Kopassus), had been accused of involvement in the
shooting of demonstrators in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, in
1988. Although, the ad hoc human rights tribunal acquitted him
in November last year, the Attorney General's Office is seeking
to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Chairawan, former commander of Kopassus' antiterror group, had
been accused of being involved in the 1998 kidnapping and
disappearance of dozens of pro-democracy activists launched by
the military leadership at the time.

During the press conference Imparsial also revealed the names
of several middle to high ranking officers who have been
previously summoned for questioning by a government sanctions
team over their alleged role in past cases of human rights abuse,
suggesting that these people should not be promoted to higher
posts.

Among the names are TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie
Sjamsoeddin and the operational assistant to the TNI's chief of
general affairs Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri.

Sjafrie served as Jakarta Military commander when massive
riots -- mostly targeting Chinese Indonesians -- broke out across
the capital city in 1998, an incident that followed the shootings
of four Trisakti students by the military.

Adam was former Udayana Military commander when in 1999
bloody, military-backed violence took place in East Timor --
Indonesia's former territory that was under the Udayana Military
Command's control before it opted for independence in a
plebiscite.

Adam stood trial in 2002 before the ad hoc human rights
tribunal. He was sentenced to 10 years in jail, but an appeal
court released him.

Another name is Brig. Gen. Tono Suratman, a Kopassus' officer
who is currently serving as TNI deputy spokesman. Just like Adam,
Tono, -- who is a former Wiradarma military resort commander
overseeing East Timor -- stood trial for alleged rights abuses in
the country's former province, but the panel of justice freed him
from all charges.