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Indonesian Military Launches Reshuffle
For the third time after President Abdurrahman Wahid took office in October last year, the Indonesian Military (TNI) on Monday launched a "minor" reshuffle involving eight senior and middle officers in the Army.
In this reshuffle, Chief of the Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) Maj. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah was replaced by Maj. Gen.Ryamizard Ryacudu, the current Commander of the Jakarta Military Command.
Wirahadikusumah took the position as the Kostrad Chief in March this year. He is a well-known reformist in the TNI and opposed what he said as "status quo group" in the TNI.
Meanwhile, based on an official letter signed by Commander of the TNI Adm. Widodo, Wirahadikusumah will take position as a high ranking officer at the TNI headquarters, while the Jakarta Military Command will be handed over to Maj. Gen. Slamet Kirbiyantoro, now a commander of the Wirabuana Military Command which covers Sulawesi island.
The letter also said that the successor of Kirbiyantoro is Maj. Gen. Achmad Yahya, the current coordinator of advisors to the Army Chief-of-Staff.
Spokesman of the TNI Rear Marshall Graito Usodo said at a press conference that "We will not exaggerate this tour of duty, as it is a normal thing."
"I want to underline that the mutation is launched for the sake of the TNI's organization. The mutation is conducted to build the organization (of the TNI)," Usodo said adding that the decision has been discussed comprehensively.
Denying there is a political nuance in connection with Monday's mutation in the TNI, he said "the mutation has nothing to do with the forthcoming annual session of the Assembly (scheduled on August 7 to 18)."
In mid-June this year, the TNI has launched a major reshuffle involving 122 personnel in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.
Usodo said that the TNI now needs the changes in a bid to make its internal reform program successful.
"We just try to find 'the right man for the right position,'" Usodo stressed, referring to a speculation that the latest reshuffle is part of the effort to oust the Commander of the Army, Gen. Tyasno Sudarto.
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