99 senior Abri officers have been transferred. Among the most interesting are the following:
1) Maj-Gen, now Lt-Gen, Syarwan Hamid, formerly Abri press spokesperson and lately assistant to Abri's Chief of Social and Political Affairs, becomes Abri's new Chief of Social and Political Affairs, replacing Mohd Ma'ruf. He will be assisted by Brig-Gen, now Maj-Gen Suwarno Adiwijoyo, lately Abri press spokesperson. Presumably Syarwan Hamid will be responsible for managing the political parties in the run-up to the election next year. The move from press spokesperson to political manager is a new promotion route, and may reflect a new Abri defensiveness within Indonesia, as the armed forces seeks to explain itself sympathetically to an increasingly critical populace.
2) Trikora (Irian Jaya) Military Area Command Chief of Staff Brig-Gen Amir Syarifudin will become the new Abri press spokesperson. He will be replaced in Irian Jaya by Brig-Gen Johny Lumintang, currently a senior Kostrad officer, and formerly commander in East Timor.
2) Brig-Gen Agum Gumelar, 50, formerly Chief of Staff at the Bukit Barisan (North Sumatra) Military Area Command, is moving to Jakarta as Director A of the Abri Intelligence Agency BIA, as well as expert staff of the Abri Commander. Agum Gumelar was Kopassus chief in Jakarta when he was instrumental in protecting the rise of Megawati to PDI chairperson against Presidential displeasure. His move to a relatively junior position in Medan, North Sumatra, was then regarded as a demotion. His exile may be over - BIA is a powerful agency - though he does not regain control of troops.
None of the transfers affect Military Area Commanders.
Gerry van Klinken, editor, 'Inside
Indonesia' magazine.
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