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.