Ryamizard dissolves Bakorstanasda Jaya

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu on Thursday dissolved the Jakarta chapter of the much feared Agency for the Coordination of Support for the Development of National Stability (Bakorstanasda Jaya).

The dissolution of the agency was marked by a ceremony at the city military command headquarters in East Jakarta, led by Ryamizard.

The chapter was shutdown only three days after the Indonesian Military (TNI) dissolved the national institution (Bakorstanas) on Monday.

Ryamizard insisted that the dissolution would not compromise the existing security supervision cooperation with several institutions, including the Jakarta Prosecutor's office, the city police and the city administration. The cooperation has lasted for 12 years.

"The security cooperation and coordination will be maintained without the presence of the organization," said the two-star general after the ceremony.

City Military command spokesman Lt. Col. Djazairi Nachrowi said the coordination and cooperation among the institutions in safeguarding the city would be accommodated in any form.

"The coordination can be effected through informal mechanisms. We can contact them anytime to coordinate measures to safeguard the city should it face a security threat," he told The Jakarta Post by phone.

Bakorstanasda consisted of 40 members from both military and civil institutions, including the city police and the city prosecutor's office.

Ryamizard, who also chaired the institution, said city military command officers who were members of the institution would be stationed at several posts at the command.

"The non-military members of the institution will be sent back to their former institutions," he said.

Nachrowi said the highest ranking military members in the institution was colonel. "There were eight colonels in the agency."

Bakorstanas was established by former president Soeharto in September 1998 to replace the notorious Restoration of Security and Public Order Command (Kopkamtib). The agency was established to deal with any perceived problems to the country's stability.

The agency screened prospective state officials and was also believed to have been used by former president Soeharto's New Order administration to curb government critics, including student protesters.

The institution has also taken action against anyone believed to have links with the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

President Abdurrahman Wahid ordered the dissolution of the agency last month. (asa)