ABC AUSTRALIA, 01/07/2002 16:26:13
Police to confiscate weapons in the Maluku Islands
Indonesian troops in the Maluku islands will start operations to seize weapons from
civilians after the expiry of a deadline for the surrender of arms.
The move follows an agreement signed in February to end three years of
Muslim-Christian battles in the islands in which more than 5,000 people were killed
and more than 500,000 made homeless.
Major General Joko Santoso, who heads the military command overseeing Maluku
and North Maluku provinces, said the sweeps for weapons would start immediately.
General Santoso,said the sweeps would mainly be held on the streets but houses
would also be searched.
Sectarian violence erupted in Ambon, the main city in Maluku, in January 1999 and
quickly spread to the neighbouring islands, including North Maluku.
A weapons surrender by civilians was part of the agreement reached in February.
01/07/2002 16:26:13 | ABC Radio Australia News
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
