TNI chief to stay at helm until 2005: Minister

TNI chief to stay at helm until 2005: Minister

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government has decided to again delay replacing Indonesian
Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, despite repeated
calls from the House of Representatives to speed up the
replacement.

State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra said here on Monday that
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would maintain Endriartono in
the military's top post at least until the end of 2005.

The decision was publicly announced by Yusril who read out a
letter from the President to House Speaker Agung Laksono during a
news conference at the presidential office in Jakarta.

The letter was the government's reply to Agung's to the
President, which asked him to replace Endriartono as soon as
possible.

In his letter, Susilo said Endriartono was still considered
the right man to handle the gradual withdrawal of reinforcement
soldiers from Aceh as part of a peace deal between the government
and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

"Endriartono's strength and mind are still necessary for the
settlement of the Aceh conflict in a comprehensive, fair,
peaceful and honorable manner", the letter said.

Monday's news conference was held after a limited Cabinet
meeting in Jakarta, which was led by Susilo via a televised link
from the United States where he is on a week-long trip to attend
the United Nations Summit in New York.

Yusril said the government would reshuffle the powerful
military only after the decommissioning of GAM weapons and the
pullout of military troops from Aceh from Sept. 15 to Dec. 31.

Earlier last week, Yusril said that Susilo might replace
Endriartono after his return from the United States next week as
the presidential office had received the names of candidates to
succeed the incumbent TNI commander.

Endriartono, 58 , has been in the military's top post since
November 2003. He tendered his resignation in October last year,
citing TNI's regeneration process as his reason.

He said the military's regeneration would be at stake so long
as he held his current position.

Days before leaving the presidential office, then president
Megawati Soekarnoputri proposed to the House that former Army
chief of staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu be approved as the
Endriartono's successor.

However, Susilo withdrew Megawati's letter to the legislature,
retaining Endriartono as the TNI chief.

Endriartono, widely deemed a moderate military officer, has
publicly said that the TNI backed the government's policies on
Aceh, particularly the recent peace accord with the rebels.

Currently, the eligible candidates to replace Endriartono are
Ryamizard, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Djoko Santoso, Navy Chief of
Staff Adm. Slamet Subiyanto and Air Force Chief of Staff Marshall
Djoko Suyanto.

In response, legislators of the House Commission I for foreign
and defense affairs questioned the President's decision to again
postpone the TNI's reshuffle.

Effendy Simbolon, from the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI-P), said the delay in the TNI chief's replacement
could affect the regeneration within the military, with middle-
and high-ranking officials missing out on promotions.

"But, it's up to the President. He knows the consequences of
what he has done," Effendy said without elaborating.