National Police announce promotion of 10 generals, 4 provincial chiefs

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The National Police announced on Monday a new round of reshuffling within the institution, including the appointment of Brig. Gen. Timbul Silaen, who was tried for gross human rights violations in East Timor in 1999, as the new Papua police chief.

National Police deputy public relations chief Brig. Gen. Soenarko said that current Papua police chief Insp. Gen. Budi Utomo would be replaced by Timbul Silaen, while Budi Utomo would take up his new post as East Kalimantan police chief.

He also said that Insp. Gen. Firman Gani would be posted as the East Java police chief, while Brig. Gen. Herman Suryadi Sumawiredja would serve as South Sumatra police chief.

"This is a regular rotation of duties so that the generals on the police force can further enhance effective public services," Soenarko said.

The announcement appeared to have answered, at least partly, rumors circulating around that there would soon be a reorganization within the National Police. The rumor also had it that Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanegara would be replaced soon.

Timbul Silaen was police chief of East Timor when it was under Indonesian control, when the Timorese voted to separate from Indonesia in a United Nations-sponsored referendum on Aug. 30, 1999.

He was brought to trial in August 2002 on charges that he failed to stop his subordinates from committing systematic torture and killings in the former Portuguese colony.

Timbul was, however, declared not guilty of all charges by a panel of five judges of an ad hoc Human Rights Tribunal in the Central Jakarta District Court in relation to the killing of 27 East Timorese in the Ave Maria church in Covalima's capital city of Suai on Sept. 6, 1999.

The judges led by Judge Andi Samson Nganro also said that they had no evidence linking Timbul to the widespread, systematic murder and torture in other locations in East Timor in 1999. The judges ruled that one police officer was involved in human rights violations, but not upon Timbul's orders.

The verdict immediately drew criticism from noted human rights activists who considered the exoneration an insult to justice.

Timbul's posting to Papua is likely to spark more speculation that the government wants a strong police chief to put down the separatist movement in the province.

A rumor was also circulating that a veteran from the East Timor integration movement, Eurico Gutteres, was now in Papua on a mission. Gutteres was found guilty of human rights violations, but he has appealed the 10-year sentence, and is free pending the ruling from a higher court.

Aside from the four police officers, six other middle-ranking officers were promoted on Monday.

List of Police Rotations:

Name Before Now

James D. Sitorus Director R&D HQ high officer

Tjuk Sugiarso HQ high officer Director R&D

E. Winarto East Kalimantan chief HQ high officer

Budi Utomo Papua chief East Kalimantan chief

Timbul Silaen Division chief Papua chief

Didi Kusumayadi South Sumatra chief HQ high officer

Supriadi Economic and Social staff Division Chief

Herman Suryadi S. HQ high officer South Sumatra chief

Heru Susanto East Java chief HQ high officer

M Firman Gani HQ high officer East Java chief