The Jakarta Post, July 18, 2007
President's head guard unlikely to face dismissal
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The commander of the Presidential Guards (Paspampres) will not be fired over the
recent flag-waving incident by a separatist group in Ambon, Maluku, the Indonesian
Military chief has said.
"We will not reevaluate the commander of Paspampres. He will only be replaced in a
regular biannual tour of duty (within the TNI)," TNI commander Air Chief Marshall
Djoko Suyanto said Tuesday.
When asked about the possibility of dismissing the Paspampres commander in
connection with the June 29 incident, Djoko said it had not been discussed.
Security officers that will be expelled in relation to the incident are the commander of
the Pattimura Regional Military Command, which oversees Maluku and North Maluku
provinces, Maj. Gen. Sudarmaidy Soebandi, and commander of Maluku Military
Command Col. Syafril Marajil.
The Indonesian Military has appointed Maj. Gen. Rasyid Qurneun Aquary, currently
serving as commander of the Army's Special Forces, to replace Sudarmaidy, and Col.
Torry Djohar Banguntoro to replace Syafril. Torry is currently commander of North
Maluku's Baabulah Ternate Military Command.
"Whichever TNI officer, commander or subordinate fails to perform their duties properly
will risk being discharged," Djoko said.
He added that the TNI had not determined when Rasyid would start his new position,
saying that it would depend on the Army chief.
Previously, the National Police discharged Insp. Gen. Guntur Gatot Setiawan as the
Maluku provincial police chief for failing to secure the event.
He will be replaced by Insp. Gen. Guntur Ariyadi, the National Police chief's deputy for
operational affairs.
The flag-waving incident occurred during President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's visit
to Ambon on June 29.
In the middle of a ceremony to commemorate National Family Day, a group of
dancers from the South Maluku Republic (RMS) separatist movement managed to
elude security forces and attempted to unfurl their flag in front of the President.
Security personnel managed to seize the flag before it was waved and arrested the
protesters.
Following the Maluku Police chief's removal, observers have also called for the
dismissal of the chiefs of the Presidential Guards Corps and the Regional Military
Command.
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