New spokesman at Armed Forces

New spokesman at Armed Forces

JAKARTA (JP): Brig. Gen. Suwarno Adiwijoyo was sworn in as the
Armed Forces (ABRI) new spokesman on Friday, replacing Maj. Gen.
Syarwan Hamid.

Suwarno was formerly chief of staff of the Siliwangi Military
Command, which oversees security in West Java. Syarwan was
promoted to the position of assistant to the chief of ABRI's
socio-political affairs.

Chief of ABRI's General Affairs Lt. Gen. Soeyono, who swore in
Suwarno at the Armed Forces headquarters, said that ABRI hopes to
improve communication with the local and international public.

"As ABRI's 'loud speaker' the information center must nurture
good communication with all sides," he said.

He added that ABRI is working to instill professionalism in
its officers when carrying out its activities and policies. He
also asked the new spokesman to improve ABRI's proficiency in the
area of diplomacy.

Suwarno said he would treat journalists as ABRI's "partners"
and would be at their disposal.

Suwarno, who graduated in 1966 from the Military Academy in
Magelang, Central Java, started his military career as a platoon
commander in the infantry battalion of the Udayana Military
Command in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara from 1967 through 1969 and
in Ende from 1969 through 1973.

His longest service has been with the Siliwangi Military
Command, which oversees security in West Java. He was appointed
chief of the infantry battalion in Sumedang in 1982, chief of the
Ciamis military district in 1983, assistant to the chief of staff
of the Siliwangi Military Command in 1988 and chief of staff of
the military command in 1993.

Suwarno, who also speaks English and German, was born in
Banyuwangi, East Java, on April 21, 1942. He is married with
three children. (rms)