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Military denies internal split over treason arrests
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Esprit de corps: Indonesian soldiers hold up headbands in the colors of the national flag during a military-sponsored interfaith rally held ahead of the planned Dec. 2 Muslim rally against Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama in Jakarta on Nov. 30. (AP/Achmad Ibrahim)
T
he Indonesian Military (TNI) says that its internal solidarity has been maintained despite the recent arrests of two retired Army generals for alleged treason, a high-ranking TNI officer has suggested.
Jakarta Military commander Maj. Gen. Teddy Lhaksamana denied on Tuesday rumors that the TNI was experiencing an internal split following the arrest of retired two-star Army general Kivlan Zen and retired one-star Army general Adityawarman Thaha on Dec. 2. The arrests came several hours before the start of a large-scale public gathering to push for the arrest of Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama.
"There is no split within the TNI. The command chain for the security [forces] for the Dec. 2 gathering was so solid," Teddy said in response to a circulating rumor saying that a number of high-ranking TNI officers had objected the arrest of Kivlan and Adityawarman.
(Read also: Police in hunt for another suspect in treason case)
Teddy added that he had served as deputy chief for the law enforcement taskforce that secured the Dec. 2 gathering, which was attended by over 1 million people. The taskforce was led by Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Mochammad Iriawan.
Therefore, the TNI, he added, were also involved in the arrest of Kivlan and Adityawarman, whom according to the police needed to be interrogated for their alleged involvement in a treason plot.
On Dec. 2, several hours before the large-scale gathering at the National Monument square, the Jakarta Police arrested eight people – Kivlan, Adityawarman, Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, Ratna Sarumpaet, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, Eko Suryo Santjojo, Firza Husain and Alvin Indra – on treason charges.
Another three people were also arrested with different charges: Ahmad Dhani for defamation, and Jamran and Rizal Kobar for committing hate speech. (hwa)
