Banda Aceh – General Endriartono Sutarto, Commander of the Indonesian Military (TNI), has said that the TNI operational command based in Lhokseumawe would be closed down following the withdrawal of non-organic TNI troops in Aceh.

Sutarto made this statement after attending a commemoration of the one-year anniversary of the tsunami disaster in Lhok Nga, Aceh Besar, on Monday (26/12).

According to him, the operational command is to be closed down because its function is no longer required following the withdrawal of all non-organic troops in Aceh. TNI non-organic troops will be withdrawn from Aceh on December 29, through the port of Lhokseumawe.

"There is no more operational command. We have closed it down. All defense functions must be carried out by the Iskandar Muda military command," stated Sutarto. He called on all parties to maintain the peace process in Aceh and rebuild the region following the tsunami.

The TNI Operational Command was set up when a military emergency was declared in Aceh on May 19, 2003. The function of the operational command was to organize personnel under operational control in order to destroy the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).

The number of non-organic TNI personnel to be relocated in the last stage totals 6,811. In addition, 2,150 of National Police and Mobile Brigade personnel will be relocated. (Adi Warsidi-Tempo News Room)