Ryamizard dissolves Bakorstanasda Jaya

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)