Suharto Names Army Chiefs

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32142, 11 November 1969, Page 17

Suharto Names Army Chiefs

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright; DJAKARTA, November 10. President Suharto today named Indonesia’s new military commanders, having changed every major military command and streamlined the nation’s fragmented defence structure into a tight unit directly under his own contf oL

The President has appointed the present commander of the Javanese-dominated Army, General IMaraden Panggabean, a Christian from Sumatra, as his Deputy Commander of the Armed (Forces and Chairman of the J oint Chiefs of Staff. This makes General Panggabean the No. 2 man in Indoarmed forces, with Cabinet rank equal to a Minister of State. . President Suharto first announced his sweeping military changes last month, but the names of the ,new command ers were made known for the first time today. The President has decided to centralise control of the armied f drees in the Ministry of Defence and unify the ser< vics s which, under President Sukatno, were' deliberately sepiarated from each other as part of. the “divide-and-cpn-

quer” policy advocated by his Communist allies. Under the new appointments Lieutenant General Umar Wirahadikusumah, the present Deputy Army Commander, the Army Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Sudomo became Navy Chief of Staff, replacing Admiral Muljadi, tind 'Wee-Marshal Suwoto Sukendar became Air Force Chief of Staff, replacing Marshal Rusmin Nurjadin. Informed sources said that Admiral Muljadi would be named Ambassador to the Soviet Union; and Marshal Rusmin Nurjadin would be appointed Ambassador to Britain.