Two-star general to head Aceh Kodam
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Iskandar Muda Military Command in Aceh will be given a top classification and will be headed by a two-star general, director general for defense strategy at the Ministry of Defense Maj. Gen. Sudrajat said on Friday.
"We are classifying the military command in Aceh as a first- class command because of various considerations, including real threats coming from outside," Sudrajat told The Jakarta Post.
The Indonesian Military (TNI) uses various criteria in determining the level of military command for any given region, including the area's size. Compared with other regions, such as Papua and Kalimantan, Aceh is the smallest military command region.
The TNI has reportedly deployed some 12,000 troops to the province.
"Military authorities have discussed the names of several army generals who might be the commander and, thus far, Brig. Gen. Djali Yusuf stands the best chance of getting the post," he said, adding that the command would be officially inaugurated in February and headquartered in Banda Aceh. No specific date was given.
A native of Aceh, Djali is currently heading the ongoing military operations against the armed wing of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in Banda Aceh, the capital of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province.
As the separatism movement gains more support from local people, the administration of President Megawati Soekarnoputri is now planning to reinstate the Iskandar Muda military command, which was liquidated in 1984.
If the plan is implemented, Aceh would equal Jakarta, East Java and Irian Jaya in terms of its strategic importance. The three military commands cover one province each and are headed by a two-star general.
Sudrajat said the government had agreed to make budgetary allocations for the plan but refused to reveal the amount earmarked, asserting that "the preparations for the plan are almost complete and deployment of troops can be implemented anytime now."
He said the current uncertain security situation in the province following the killing of Abdullah Syafi'ie, the military leader of the Free Aceh Movement -- was one of their considerations in reviving the military command immediately.
Earlier on Friday, Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Endriartono Sutarto held a meeting at the Ministry to discuss preparations for the Aceh military command.