SENIOR POLICE OFFICIAL REPLACED AMID CORRUPTION

UNCLAS JAKARTA 001944 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, E, EEB, INL DOJ FOR CRIM AAG SWARTZ, DOJ/OPDAT FOR BERMAN NSC FOR D.WALTON; MCC FOR ISMAIL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KJUS KCOR ECON ID SUBJECT: SENIOR POLICE OFFICIAL REPLACED AMID CORRUPTION CONTROVERSY REF: JAKARTA 1910 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. (U) This message is Sensitive But Unclassified. Please handle accordingly. ¶2. (SBU) On November 24 the Indonesian National Police (INP) replaced General Susno Duadji, head of the INP's Criminal Investigation Division (CID). An INP spokesman stated the move was part of routine personnel rotations among senior police officials. However, Duadji's removal surprised many observers given that the INP had suspended him a few days earlier only to reinstate him shortly thereafter (see reftel). Additionally, national police chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri had said that no senior police officials would resign in connection with several ongoing controversies. General Ito Sumardi, currently a senior advisor to INP Chief Danuri, will take over leadership of the CID. (Note: Bio information on General Sumardi follows in paragraph 3.) ¶3. (SBU) Activists hailed the move and pointed to Duadji's alleged involvement in the ongoing controversy between the INP and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). (Note: Mission will provide a full update on the controversy via septel.) Duadji was identified in wiretapped conversations with prosecutors, businessmen and other police officials. Supporters of the KPK claimed that the conversations were part of a plot to frame two KPK commissioners, who were indicted on charges of criminal misconduct but were released following disclosure of the tapes. ¶4. (SBU) Biographical Information: Police Inspector General Ito Sumardi has served as a senior advisor to INP Chief Bambang Hendarso Danuri since January 2009. Prior to that, he served as police chief in Riau and South Sumatra provinces. He was security commander for the Aceh Peace Monitoring Mission and a commander of the INP's humanitarian task forces following the December 2004 Aceh tsunami. He also commanded a UN police contingent in Eastern Slavonia, Croatia. Sumardi was born in Bogor, West Java, on June 17, 1953, and entered the police academy in 1977. He holds advanced degrees in criminal law and business administration. In October 2009 he participated in the USG-sponsored Rule of Law Forum and traveled to Washington, DC, and Texas. HUME