Syafrie's appointment astounds militarymen, civilians alike
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Criticism by the general public of the Indonesian Military's (TNI) human rights record may well not be over yet after TNI announced its latest reshuffle, including the promotion of former Jakarta military commander Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin as TNI spokesperson.
The promotion of Sjafrie came as a surprise, not only to the public at large but also to the TNI high ranking promotions and duty rotation council (Wanjakti).
A reliable source within Wanjakti told The Jakarta Post on Sunday that the council had recommended Navy spokesman Franky Kayhatu as TNI spokesman.
"Although Sjafrie's name was also on the list, Wanjakti recommended Franky Kayhatu as the new TNI spokesperson because of the rotation system and Sjafrie's track record," the source said.
Sjafrie has been blamed for the military's inability to stop the massive riots in Jakarta in May 1998.
The source speculated whether the change resulted from a meeting between TNI Commander Widodo A.S. and President Megawati Soekarnoputri at her residence on Jl. Teuku Umar in Central Jakarta.
Sjafrie will probably never be forgiven by the parents of the four Trisakti students killed in May 1998 when they, along with hundreds other students, staged a rally in protest of former president Soeharto's 32 years of autocratic rule.
The Trisakti incident, triggered three days of massive riots across the nation which left 1,200 people dead in Jakarta alone, forcing Soeharto to step down in disgrace.
Hundreds of Chinese Indonesian women became victims of mass rape during the riots.
Being the Jakarta military commander, Sjafrie, along with his close ally former Army's Strategic Reserves (Kostrad) commander Lt. Gen. (ret) Prabowo Subianto, was largely blamed for the military's inability to squash the riots and protect innocent citizens.
A joint fact-finding team set up by former president B.J. Habibie to investigate the riots failed to reach a common understanding, due to conflicting interests between civilians and military personnel within the team.
Until now, more than three years after the riots took place, the tragedy has remained unresolved.
Many also believe that Sjafrie was one of the key military figures involving in the preparation and establishment of pro- Jakarta militia groups in East Timor in the run-up to the United Nations-sponsored referendum.
Sjafrie was once questioned by the Commission of Inquiry into Human Rights Violations (KPP HAM) as eyewitnesses told the Inquiry that Sjafrie was seen at the scene when militias attacked Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo's residence in Dili, East Timor, on Sept. 6, 1999.
But, unlike his other military colleagues former Udayana Military Commander Maj. Gen. Adam Damiri and former East Timor Wiradharma Military Resort Commanders Brig. Gen. Tono Suratman and Brig. Gen. A. Nur Muis, Sjafrie was not declared a suspect.
Sjafrie, who graduated from the Armed Forces Academy (Akabri) in 1974 with the citation of best graduate, is also to be subpoenaed by the National Commission of Inquiry probing the three fatal shootings: The Trisakti, Semanggi I and Semanggi II killings.
The long wait seems to be over for Sjafrie. After a long period at TNI Headquarters without any structural position, Sjafrie has finally been promoted as TNI spokesperson, replacing Rear Marshall Graito Usodo.