Head of Army Headquarters` Information Service Brig. Gen. Rukman Ahmad said here on Saturday that the replacement was not connected to Hardiono`s statement in denying Kopassus members`s involvement in the attack on Cebongan prison in Sleman, Yogyakarta, killing four detainees.
"I should stress here that Maj. Gen. Hardiono is succeeded not removed. This is part of a career development," Rukman said.
Hardiono will be succeeded by Maj Gen Sunindyo who is previously assistant to the Army chief of staff for personnel affairs.
Head of Army`s Sub-Information Service Col. Zaenal Arifin confirmed the replacement of the Diponegoro Regional Military Command chief from Maj Gen Hardiono to Maj Gen Sunindyo.
The ceremony for the transfer of the post will be held on Monday, April 8, 2013 at the Army`s Headquarters.
On March 23 a group of armed and masked men raided the Cebongan penitentiary and shot to death four detainees police had put there after they were arrested for alleged involvement in a fight that led to the death of a member of the Army`s Special Forces (Kopassus) at Hugo`s Cafe in Sleman.
As suspicion was arising that the attack could have been conducted by Kopassus soldiers in revenge for the murder of their friend in the Hugo`s Cafe incident, Maj Gen Hardiono denied possible involvement of Kopassus members.
Legislator on defense affairs Susaningtyas Kertopati criticized the Diponegoro military commander, saying his statement indicated he did not master the standard operational procedure (SOP)in explaining an event that became public attention.
"As a military commander, he should not directly state that soldiers are not involved. It would be enough for him to explain the SOP," Susaningtyas said.
The legislator said all military chiefs should have the expertise to communicate well with the media. In explaining an incident, a regional military chief should not be too reactive in denying anything which was not yet clear.
On Thursday, (April 4), Army investigators confirmed that 11 members of Army`s Special Forces (Kopassus) were behind the killing of four detainees at a penitentiary in Cebongan, Sleman, Yogyakarta, recently.
"Eleven members of Kopassus have been involved in the raid at the Cebongan penitentiary. One of them acted as the executor and eight others as supporters while two others had sought to prevent their action," the chief of army investigators for the case, Brigadier General Unggul K Yudhoyono said at a press conference.
He said the eight who had acted as supporters arrived in two cars namely blue Avanza and black APV vans while two others who had tried to prevent the action in a Feroza jeep.
"The executor is known by his initial as U. Nine of them are non-commissioned and enlisted officers," he said.
Unggul said that two of them had actually tried to prevent the attack but failed.
He said the attack was done spontaneously in response to the killing of Kopassus member chief sergeant Heru Santoso at Hugo`s Cafe on March 19 and an attack on former Kopassus member first sergeant Sriyono by the four thugs.
"It is true the raid on the Cebongan penitentiary was done in response to the attack by the thugs on their colleagues that led to the death of them (Heru Santoso)," he said.
(A014/H-YH)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
