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.