SENIOR MILITARY APPOINTMENTS SPELL MODERATE REFORM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000008 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, DRL SECDEF FOR USAP/ISA/AP P.IPSEN NSC FOR E.PHU E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/02/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR PHUM ID SUBJECT: SENIOR MILITARY APPOINTMENTS SPELL MODERATE REFORM REF: A. 07 JAKARTA 3335 ¶B. 07 JAKARTA 3128 ¶C. 07 JAKARTA 3311 Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons 1.4 (b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: President Yudhoyono appointed new chiefs of the Indonesian Army and Air Force on December 28. The appointments spell continued moderate reform and seem positive for defense cooperation with the USG. The new Air Force Chief confirmed plans to restore Indonesia's F-16 fleet as part of the force's modernization. Separately, in a recent meeting, Aceh Governor Irwandi gave the Ambassador a positive assessment of a senior military leader accused of human rights violations. Bio notes on the new Army and Air Force chiefs are included in Para 7. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) THE NEW CHIEFS: In two recent changes, effective December 28, LTG Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo became the new Army Chief and Marshal Madya Subandrio became the new Air Force Chief. Both men are moderate reformers, and neither has been accused of human rights violations. They both are considered friendly to the USG and in favor of closer defense cooperation. Bio sketches are provided below. Purnomo replaced General Djoko Santoso, who was appointed the new TNI Chief (Panglima) on December 5 (ref a). Earlier, Yudhoyono installed Admiral Djoko Sumardjono as the new Navy Chief on November 12 (ref b). Subandrio replaced outgoing Air Marshal Herman Prayitno. ¶3. (SBU) At his swearing-in, new Army Chief Purnomo said professional development of personnel would be one of his top priorities, as part of the effort to reform, overhaul and reequip the Indonesian Army. He also pledged that the Army would remain neutral in the 2009 elections, in line with the TNI's exit from politics in 2004. Incoming Air Force Chief Subandrio said on December 29 that one of his priorities was to boost Air Force weaponry capability to 60 percent from the current level below 50 percent. This would involve restoring the existing fleet of ten F-16s, only four of which currently fly, and the purchase of six new Sukhoi fighters from Russia to add to the current four. (Note: The Indonesian government and military have discussed with us plans for upgrading Indonesia's existing F-16 fleet as well as the possible purchase of new F-16s.) ¶4. (C) POSITIVE FOR U.S.: Purnomo, whose record on human rights appears clean, was a better choice than General Syafrie Syamsuddin. The controversial Syafrie, the English-speaking Deputy Defense Minister with prior U.S. training, has been accused of complicity in human rights violations committed in Jakarta in 1998. Although Purnomo seems also to support engagement with the United States, his lack of English and U.S. training may hamper his ability to promote this. That said, his appointment is positive and he is someone with whom we can work. The appointment of Purnomo as Army Chief responds to the USG's concerns that Syafrie's promotion would have dampened U.S.-Indonesia mil-mil relations. ¶5. (C) SENIOR GENERAL EARNS GOOD MARKS: In a discussion with the Ambassador on December 1 (ref c),i.e., before these appointments, Aceh Governor Yusuf Irwandi expressed concern about the anticipated change of commands within the TNI leadership and the implications for Aceh. Irwandi asserted that most senior officers were inclined to whitewash news from the field and sweep inconvenient details under the carpet. Fortunately, President Yudhoyono knew how to ask tough questions to get at the truth. General Bambang Darmono, now in charge of the TNI's Training and Doctrine Command and previously Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, was a notable exception, according to Irwandi, because Darmono routinely questioned information from the field. Irwandi went to far as to say that Darmono's fair-minded assessments from the field made possible Jakarta's acceptance of the Ahtissaari-led MOU ending the Aceh conflict in 2005. JAKARTA 00000008 002 OF 002 ¶6. (C) Darmono's past assignments in Aceh, including as commander of operations from 2002 to 2005, have laid him open to charges of human-rights violations by troops under his command during the military's campaign against the separatist Aceh Liberation Movement (GAM). Irwandi's assessment, while not disputing that human rights violations occurred, paints Darmono's role in a very favorable light. The fact that the comment comes from Irwandi, a former GAM leader, outweighs the more negative views of some observers. ¶7. (U) BIO NOTES: -- Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo is a graduate of the Indonesian Military Academy (1974),the Army War college (1989) and the Military Socio-Political Course (Sussospol) (1995). Major past billets have included tours in Aceh (1991-1994),East Timor (1975, 1983) and Irian Jaya, Papua 2001). Purnomo was Regional TNI Commander for the Jakarta Region in 2004-2006 and, until his recent appointment, Secretary to Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sucipto. He was born in Surabaya, East Java, on August 6, ¶1952. -- Madya Subandrio is a graduate of the Air Force Academy (1975) and the Air Force Flight School (1977) who has had several operational commands, including Head of the Air Force Special Forces, Staff Assistant for Logistics at the Air Force Headquarters and, most recently, Deputy Air Force Chief. He served as Director of Education, Deputy Commander and then Commander of the Air Force Academy. He was born in Bandung, West Java, on March 22, 1953 and has three children. HUME