TNI announces major reshuffle

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Military (TNI) announced on Friday a major reshuffle which affected 118 high-ranking officers, including Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, who has been named the new TNI spokesman.

Sjafrie, the Jakarta Military commander at the time of the tragic incident at Trisakti University that claimed four lives took place in May 1998, will replace Rear Marshal Graito Usodo, who will retire after having his service extended by two years.

Graito said TNI chief Adm. Widodo AS, after putting a final touch, signed the order stipulating the reshuffle late in the evening.

The reshuffle came hours after Widodo held a meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri at her residence on Jl. Teuku Umar in Central Jakarta. There was no official statement regarding the subject of the talks.

But Graito refused to link the reshuffle with the closed-door, high-profile meeting.

"The announcement has proven that speculation surrounding the reshuffle which has been reported in the media is not true," Graito said.

"This is just a rotation which has long been prepared through a standardized and fair planning system."

Other prominent names in the list included Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Djasri Marin, Bukit Barisan Military Commander overseeing the northern part of Sumatra Maj. Gen. IGK Purnawa and Diponegoro Military Commander overseeing Central Java Maj. Gen. Soemarsono.

Djasri, who is leading a military team to investigate the killing of Papuan independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay, will take up a legislative post in the House of Representatives. He will be replaced by Brig. Gen. Sulaiman.

Purnawa will be given a non-portfolio job as a TNI chief specialist in place of Maj. Gen. Djoko Besariman, who is retiring. Brig. Gen. Idris Gasing will be promoted as Purnawa's successor.

Soemarsono will serve at the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) as the chief of staff. The deputy operational assistant to Army chief of staff Brig. Gen. Cornel Simbolon has been promoted as the new Diponegoro military commander.

But top officers involved in the deliberation of the change of guard in the TNI remained tightlipped about the much-awaited succession, drawing speculation of a silent tug of war between the military top brass and the President.

Both Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Indroko Sastrowardoyo insisted on Friday that the replacement of TNI Chief Adm. Widodo AS was up to Megawati, who according to the Constitution is the TNI supreme commander.

"The TNI High Ranking Promotions and Duty Rotation Council (Wanjakti) has yet to select any candidate for TNI chief. This post should be consulted with the President first," Endriartono told a media conference that wound up an Army leadership meeting.

"We have completed the reshuffle, which affects only officers below the level of lieutenant general."

At 58, Widodo is the most senior active officer. He has had his service extended to enable him escape the mandatory retirement age.

Many, including House legislators, have urged the President to immediately replace Widodo for the sake of regeneration of TNI personnel.