TNI reshuffles deck, hopes for winning hand
TNI reshuffles deck, hopes for winning hand
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Indonesian Military (TNI) Headquarters announced on
Wednesday a major reshuffle involving a number of high-ranking
officers.
The rotation -- officially signed in Decree No. 509/2001 by
TNI Commander Adm. Widodo A.S. on Oct. 2, 2001 -- involved three-
star generals as the highest officers being replaced. Most of
them have reached retirement age.
"This is a routine tour of duty," Widodo said on the sidelines
of a rehearsal for TNI's 56th anniversary which falls on Oct. 5
at Halim Perdanakusumah airport in East Jakarta.
Widodo said that the restructuring process within the military
was under way, including the military's roles in territorial
affairs.
The reshuffle involves 25 officers at the TNI Headquarters, 18
Army officers, 17 from the Air Force and 28 others in the Navy.
Among the most senior officers being replaced is outgoing
chief of the TNI Education and Training Center Lt. Gen. Amir
Sembiring, a 1970 graduate of the Armed Forces Academy (AKABRI),
who will be posted at TNI Headquarters. Amir's post will be
filled by Maj. Gen. Syahrir M.S., who is currently the
Operational Assistant to the Army chief. Syahrir, a 1971 graduate
of AKABRI, was once the commander of the Army's Special Force
(Kopassus).
The commander of Division I of the Army Strategic Reserves
Command (Kostrad) Maj. Gen. Harry Kosasih will replace Syahrir.
While Brig. Gen. Syamsul Mappareppa, a 1973 graduate of AKABRI,
will fill the post of Harry -- a 1971 graduate of AKABRI.
Controversial Brawijaya Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sudi
Silalahi will be replaced by Maj. Gen. Ahmad Djunaidi Sikki, a
former Kostrad division commander. Like Amir, Sudi, 1972 AKABRI
graduate, will be posted to TNI Headquarters.
He, however, is prepared to fill in one of the secretary posts
at the Office of the Coordinating Minister for Political and
Security Affairs.
Sudi was one of the generals accused by former president
Abdurrahman Wahid of masterminding a movement against him.
An incident in the East Java town of Madiun -- in which three
people were killed and 20 others were injured when a group of
Kostrad soldiers went on the rampage last month and attacked a
police compound after a petty dispute -- also took place during
Sudi's tenure.
Meanwhile, Aceh's Security and Order Operation Commander Brig.
Gen. Zamroni, who graduate from AKABRI in 1974, has been promoted
to the post of the Bukit Barisan Military Command's chief of
staff.
The reshuffle also includes strategic positions within the
Military Strategic Intelligence Body (BAIS). Director BAIS A for
political affairs Brig. Gen. Eddy Irmanto is being promoted as
deputy chief of BAIS, while his last post will be filled by Brig.
Gen. Dadi Sutanto. Brig. Gen. Benjamin Leonard P. will also be
promoted as director of Bais D.