Maluku military to carry out major reshuffle

Maluku military to carry out major reshuffle

AMBON, Maluku (JP): Amid prolonged sectarian violence in
Maluku and North Maluku provinces, Pattimura Military Command
will get six new middle-ranking officers to fill strategic posts
in the command.

Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. I Made Yasa, however,
dismissed the speculation that the reshuffle was connected to
security problems in the area.

"It's a routine tour of duty," he told reporters, claiming
that a military reshuffle was a common phenomenon within the
Indonesian Military (TNI).

"All of the six officers were in their posts for over one year
and five months," he said.

The six military officers will replace Inspector Col. Sumanto,
Assistant for Intelligence Affairs Col. Nano Sutarno, Assistant
for Operational Affairs Col. Eddy Haryanto, Assistant for
Territorial Affairs Col. Budiatmo, Assistant for Planning Col.
Puspo Joko Purwanto and the late personnel assistant Col.
Supriadi, who died recently of an undisclosed illness.

The command, however, will retain Col. Yohannes Budiharjo as
logistics assistant.

Rumors about the replacements were rife after a sociologist of
the University of Indonesia, Thamrin Amal Tomagola, told then TNI
commander Gen. Wiranto last year that two Army colonels in Maluku
should be replaced for being partial in handling the unrest.

Earlier this year, political analyst George Junus Aditjondro
accused the outgoing intelligence assistant and the territorial
assistant of having aggravated the sectarian conflicts. Nano
reportedly supported Muslim residents, while Budiatmo was
reportedly too close to local Christian residents.

Budiatmo said earlier that he was not bothered by the
accusation, saying he had been put in the position to establish
close relations with local residents. Nano, however, refused to
comment.

Made Yasa said Jakarta would send one battalion of police
Mobile Brigade troops and two helicopters to help settle security
problems in the province.

"Maluku is an archipelagic province. Air transportation is
deemed necessary to speed up efforts to curb the rioters," he
said.

In a related development, a bomb explosion and gunfight
instigated by hundreds of rioters from Kebon Cengkih occurred at
nearby Waihaong, Tanah Lapang Kecil, Karang Panjang and Mardika
areas, all in Sirimau district, Ambon, on Saturday morning.

Antara reported on Sunday that Al Fatah Hospital director,
Paing Suryaman, was killed in the incident.

The news agency said that the bomb was thrown by a group of
men from Soa Bali village and Paing happened to stand near the
explosion site.

Witnesses said the attack came after Waihaong men had beaten a
Soa Bali resident.

Paing was rushed to the Al Fatah hospital along with several
people who were injured in the bomb blast.

Governor Saleh Latuconsina and Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen.
Firman Gani were seen among the people who paid their last
tribute to Paing in Al Fatah Hospital. (49/lup)