Maj. Gen. Mahidin posted to Irian Jaya

JAKARTA (JP): Commander of the Army's Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) 2nd Infantry Division in Malang, East Java, Maj. Gen. Mahidin Simbolon, has been appointed as the New Trikora Military commander replacing the late Maj. Gen. Tonny A. Rompis.

"Pak Mahidin is the most appropriate senior officer to hold that post due to the special conditions in the province," Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto told The Jakarta Post by phone on Wednesday.

"The induction of Mahidin will be held on Jan. 22, 2001, at the Trikora Military command," he said.

The post of the Trikora Military commander, which oversees Irian Jaya province, has been vacant since Tonny, along with another eight passengers, died in a Navy airplane crash in Jayawijaya regency in Irian Jaya on Jan. 8.

Endriartono said that he expected Mahidin could settle separatist problems in the province without sacrificing the people.

When contacted, Mahidin confirmed that he had been appointed as military commander on the easternmost Indonesian province.

"Being Trikora Military commander will be a heavy task. But, I appreciate the Army for appointing me to the post," Mahidin said.

His post in Kostrad will be filled in by Chief of Staff of Kostrad's 1st Division Brig. Gen. Achmad Sikki.

Mahidin, a husband to Lasmaria Silalahi and a father of three, was a 1974 graduate of the Armed Forces Academy (Akabri). He is a classmate of the incumbent Kostrad chief, Lt. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, former Jakarta Military commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, and former Chief of the Army Special Force (Kopassus) Lt. Gen. (ret.) Prabowo Subianto.

He rose to prominence when he arrested East Timor pro- independence leader Jose Alexandre "Xanana" Gusmao in 1992, for which he received a special promotion from Major to Colonel.

Mahidin was appointed as East Timor Military Commander from 1995 to 1997. He gained his general star in 1997 when he was appointed as Chief of Staff of Kostrad's 2nd Infantry Division.

He was later promoted as Chief of Staff of the Udayana Military Command, overseeing Bali, West and East Nusa Tenggara provinces, in 1998.

Mahidin, who has spent nearly all of his military career in Kopassus and intelligence circle, took his intelligence classes in Indonesia.

Mahidin has also attended a number of comparative studies on military technology in Singapore, Taiwan, Australia, France, and the former Soviet Union. (02)