TNI chief launches major reshuffle
Tiarma Siboro, Jakarta
The Indonesian Military (TNI) announced on Saturday its first major reshuffle in a year, affecting 42 high-ranking officers, including Commander of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) Maj. Gen. Sriyanto Muntrasan, who has been named as Siliwangi Military Commander overseeing West Java and Banten provinces.
TNI Commander Gen. Endriartono Sutarto signed the decree on the reshuffle on Jan. 27, according to a TNI press statement.
Outgoing Siliwangi Military Commander Maj. Gen. Iwan Sulanjana has been appointed as operational assistant to the Army chief.
The appointment of Sriyanto to such a strategic post may raise some eyebrows, particularly among human rights activists as he was allegedly involved in the 1998 Tanjung Priok bloodshed. At that time he was chief of operations at North Jakarta Military Command.
However, the panel of justices at the human rights court ruled in November last year that Sriyanto was not guilty in the incident, which according to official data killed 24 people and injured 54 others. The Attorney General's Office, however, has planned to submit an appeal to the Supreme Court.
The latest reshuffle also affected Teuku Umar Military Resort Commander (overseeing central Aceh, including the provincial capital, Banda Aceh) Col. Geerhan Lantara and Lilawangsa Military Resort Commander (overseeing northern Aceh through to eastern Aceh) Col. Azmyn Yusri Nasution.
The two have been assigned as new chiefs of staff of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad)'s first and second divisions, respectively.
The statement did not name the successors of the two Aceh commanders, but sources say that Kopassus officer Col. Chairawan -- who has been grounded for years following the kidnapping case against prodemocracy activists in the late 1990s -- may be appointed to Lilawangsa Military Command. TNI spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin refused to confirm.
The reshuffle comes as President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is under pressure from lawmakers to replace Endriartono.