Soldiers, senior policeman fired for insubordination

Soldiers, senior policeman fired for insubordination

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan

The Indonesian Military (TNI) has dishonorably discharged eight
soldiers for insubordination during their tour of duty in
Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam.

The eight soldiers discharged on Friday had been sentenced on
Aug. 8 to six to 18 months in jail by a Banda Aceh military court
for defying orders to join the military operation against the
separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

The court also ordered that the soldiers be discharged
dishonorably.

The soldiers all hail from the Bukit Barisan military command
overseeing North Sumatra: First Sgt. Indra Marwan, First Sgt.
Mamat Puja, First Corp. Azidin, Second Corp. Juraid Sikumbang,
Second Corp. Mustopa, Second Pvt. Dirham Agussalim, Second Pvt.
Adi Suryanto and Second Pvt. Irwan Syahputra.

Bukit Barisan military command chief Maj. Gen. Tri Tamtomo led
an event held specially to discharge the soldiers at the local
base in Medan, North Sumatra.

Tri said the soldiers had been found guilty of
insubordination.

"It's a serious offense, because their actions have tarnished
the ethics of their profession and their oath as soldiers," he
told journalists after the event.

He said at least 20 troops had been accused of insubordination
initially, but the eight were the "brains" behind the offense.

"We hope this punishment will set an example for other
soldiers ... so they will not commit similar mistakes," Tri
added.

He said about 60 soldiers had been dismissed from the military
over the last year for varying offenses, including drug-related
crimes, desertion and insubordination.

Also on Friday, the North Sumatra Police sacked Medan Police
deputy chief of detectives Adj. Comr. Robin Manurung for
insubordination and appointed Adj. Comr. Indra, formerly Patumbak
Police chief, in his place.

North Sumatra Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Bambang Prihady said
Robin had failed to heed Medan Police chief Sr. Comr. Bagus
Kurniawan's order to detain a suspect accused of disparaging a
policeman.

Robin had placed the suspect in his office instead of a police
cell as ordered by Bagus, Bambang added.

The suspect, Diana, 35, is the wife of the general manager of
Medan's Sun Plaza shopping center, which is partly owned by media
baron Surya Paloh.

She was arrested for allegedly slapping traffic policeman
Second Brig. Pardomuan Sipahutar across the face on Dec. 11, when
he stopped her for an apparent traffic violation.

Bagus said Diana, currently in police custody, had been
charged with offending, insulting and ignoring an order by a
police officer, which carries a minimum sentence of three years.