TNI replaces Aceh commander
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Indonesian Military (TNI) unexpectedly announced the replacement of the Aceh provincial military commander Maj. Gen. Djali Yusuf, a few days before the May 12 deadline of the government's ultimatum to the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and possible commencement of a military operation to quell the separatists.
Djali, a native of Pidie, Aceh, will relinquish the post he has held since March 2002 to his immediate subordinate, Brig. Gen. Endang Suwarya.
Disclosing the reason behind the replacement, TNI Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said Djali would soon reach retirement age. The retirement age of TNI officers ranked brigadier general and above is set at 55.
"We won't retain him, because his impending retirement will disrupt the continuity of the planned military operation in Aceh," Endriartono said after a Cabinet meeting.
Djali, a 1972 graduate of the Military Academy, is the first commander of the Aceh military command, which was reinstated last year due to increasing violence.
His successor Endang is a 1973 graduate and a classmate of Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Endang is also a former Teuku Umar Military resort commander, and was stationed in Banda Aceh before being appointed deputy operational assistant to the Army Chief of Staff last year.
Endriartono, who had his retirement age extended by the President last year, dismissed speculations that the change of guard in the Aceh military replacement involved political interests.
"We TNI are always well-prepared for any policies regarding our duties in Aceh, including replacing our commanders," he said.
According to Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Ratyono, the official transfer of duty from Djali to Endang would be made on Tuesday next week.
Many had believed that, as Djali is Acehnese, he would be entrusted to lead the military-police joint operation.
Djali was previously involved in a series of military operations in the province and once served as deputy chief of security operations in Aceh in 2001, the first deployment of troops in the province since the fall of Soeharto's New Order regime in 1998.
The government is expected to declare the commencement of the operation, if GAM fails to accept the special autonomy and lay down its arms before May 12 -- a condition for the continuation of peace talks.
The military plans to enter Aceh on May 15 to restore order, an operation that may last six months.
Currently, 4,000 reinforcement troops have already been sent to the resource-rich province, including 2,000 officers from the joint military-police quick reaction strike force (PPRC).