TNI clarifies

TNI clarifies

With reference to a report in The Jakarta Post of April 15,
under the title Controversy as Sjafrie given key defense post, we
deem it necessary to correct or clarify two points.

The points are related to the following paragraph: "Sjafrie
was Jakarta Military commander when the capital was hit by ethnic
riots that led to ouster of former dictator Soeharto in May 1998.
Thousands died in the rampage. Sjafrie also served in East Timor
when widespread violence broke out after the autonomy plebiscite
in 1999."

Our correction is as follows: First, in connection with the
report in the Post that Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin was
involved in the mass riots in East Timor. We would like to
clarify that during the plebiscite in East Timor in 1999, Maj.
Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin was never assigned in East Timor.

Between 1999 and 2000, Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin was an
expert staffer in political and security affairs of the
commander-in-chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI) domiciled in
Jakarta.

Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin was present in East Timor after
the plebiscite the context of the working visit of the commander-
in-chief of the TNI to Dili Airport on Sept. 17, 1999 and not in
the context of any assignment of any longer period.

Second, we would like to make a clarification in connection
with the news report that mentions there were thousands of
victims of the mass riots in May 1998 in Jakarta and that this
was connected with the position of Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin
as the commander of Jakarta garrison.

An investigation is needed to verify the correctness of the
report that there were thousands of victims in the riots as
otherwise the report is just an assumption. A proper
investigation would prevent prejudice against the TNI as an
institution or toward individuals within the TNI.

The confirmed and verified data about the dead regards the
scores of looters that broke into Yogya Shopping Center in
Klender on May 14, 1998, and were trapped inside when a fire
broke out and were burned to death.

Apart from these looters, there were no other lives lost as a
result of the action taken by security apparatus. To prove any
other deaths, further clarification of the data regarding any
incidents that took place is needed.

We deem it necessary to raise these two points so that the
public will not be misled by the news report referred to above
and can better understand it.

SUPAMA, Information Analysis Service Information Center of TNI, Jakarta

Note : Thank you for your clarification.

--Editor