Jakarta – The government has decided to again delay replacing Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, despite repeated calls from the House of Representatives to speed up the replacement.
State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra said here on Monday that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would maintain Endriartono in the military's top post at least until the end of 2005.
The decision was publicly announced by Yusril who read out a letter from the President to House Speaker Agung Laksono during a news conference at the presidential office in Jakarta.
The letter was the government's reply to Agung's to the President, which asked him to replace Endriartono as soon as possible.
In his letter, Susilo said Endriartono was still considered the right man to handle the gradual withdrawal of reinforcement soldiers from Aceh as part of a peace deal between the government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).
"Endriartono's strength and mind are still necessary for the settlement of the Aceh conflict in a comprehensive, fair, peaceful and honorable manner", the letter said.
Monday's news conference was held after a limited Cabinet meeting in Jakarta, which was led by Susilo via a televised link from the United States where he is on a week-long trip to attend the United Nations Summit in New York.
Yusril said the government would reshuffle the powerful military only after the decommissioning of GAM weapons and the pullout of military troops from Aceh from Sept. 15 to Dec. 31.
Earlier last week, Yusril said that Susilo might replace Endriartono after his return from the United States next week as the presidential office had received the names of candidates to succeed the incumbent TNI commander.
Endriartono, 58, has been in the military's top post since November 2003. He tendered his resignation in October last year, citing TNI's regeneration process as his reason. He said the military's regeneration would be at stake so long as he held his current position.
Days before leaving the presidential office, then president Megawati Soekarnoputri proposed to the House that former Army chief of staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu be approved as the Endriartono's successor. However, Susilo withdrew Megawati's letter to the legislature, retaining Endriartono as the TNI chief.
Endriartono, widely deemed a moderate military officer, has publicly said that the TNI backed the government's policies on Aceh, particularly the recent peace accord with the rebels.
Currently, the eligible candidates to replace Endriartono are Ryamizard, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Djoko Santoso, Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Slamet Subiyanto and Air Force Chief of Staff Marshall Djoko Suyanto.
In response, legislators of the House Commission I for foreign and defense affairs questioned the President's decision to again postpone the TNI's reshuffle.
Effendy Simbolon, from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said the delay in the TNI chief's replacement could affect the regeneration within the military, with middle-and high-ranking officials missing out on promotions. "But, it's up to the President. He knows the consequences of what he has done," Effendy said without elaborating.