Officer rules out mass outbreak of unrest in city

JAKARTA (JP): A senior officer at the Jakarta Military Command dismissed on Wednesday the possibility of violence breaking out in the city following the recent suspension of Gen. Wiranto from his post as coordinating minister for political affairs and security.

"We have yet to find indications that any groups are attempting to create unrest in the city following the suspension," Jakarta Military Command chief of staff Brig. Gen. A. Yahya said after installing Col. Prijanto as the new Wijayakarta Military Resort commander at the East Jakarta Military District Command.

Rumors of an attempted coup were rampant during President Abdurrahman Wahid's recent 16-day tour abroad, mainly after the President repeatedly asserted during his trip that he would fire Wiranto after he was implicated in the post-ballot violence in East Timor, as recommended by the government-sanctioned Commission of Inquiry into Human Rights Violations (KPP HAM) in East Timor.

The President formally suspended Wiranto from his post on Monday while waiting for the completion of the investigation into the case by the Attorney General's Office.

Yahya said members of the Jakarta Military Command would not be affected by any rumors of a coup attempt.

"The command will remain solid. We're ready to safeguard the city from any possible unrest," he told reporters.

Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu said the command should prioritize intelligence capability to tackle any possible security threats in the city.

"Jakarta Military Command members must enhance their intelligence ability to prevent any threats in the early stages. The ability will also allow the command to handle the threats quickly," he said in a written statement read out by Yahya.

Discharge

As part of a move to discipline the command members, Yahya said the command had discharged six members for desertion since last year.

"We're searching for nine other command members who have deserted," he said, adding that an average of one to two command personnel deserted each year.

Yahya said under military regulations, a soldier is considered a deserter if he disappears from his unit for more than 30 days under regular circumstances and for more than 24 hours in times of warfare.

He said the deserters would receive different kinds of punishment, accordingly to their degree of faults.

"They can either be suspended, have their salaries reduced or be discharged," he said.

Transfer

The ceremony saw the handover of the Wijayakarta Military Resort Command post from Col. George Toisutta to Col. Prijanto.

Col. Prijanto, who graduated from the Armed Forces Academy in 1976, was an assistant to Wiranto during the latter's term as Indonesian Military (TNI) commander.

Lt. Col. Djazairi Nachrowi, spokesman for the Jakarta Military Command, said Prijanto had also served as assistant to current TNI Commander Adm. Widodo AS before he was assigned to the new post.

George, also a 1976 Armed Forces Academy graduate, will assume his new post as commander of the Army's Combat Training Center in Baturaja, Palembang.

Wijayakarta Military Resort Command supervises four district military commands: East Jakarta, South Jakarta, Bekasi and Depok. (asa)