The Jakarta Post, July 04, 2007
Military investigating RMS incident
M. Aziz Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon
Pattimura Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sudarmaydi said in Ambon, Maluku, on
Tuesday an internal investigation would be launched to determine whether military
personnel were involved in the waving of a separatist flag in front of the President.
The investigation will be led by military officers and intelligence officers not involved
with the team responsible for security during President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's
visit to Ambon last Friday to attend a ceremony for National Family Day.
"As a commander I'm the one who is the most responsible for the incident. Frankly
speaking, carelessness on the part of my subordinates happened due to our lack of
awareness," Sudarmaydi said during a hearing with members of the Maluku
Legislative Council.
Supporters of the South Maluku Republic (RMS) separatist group rushed the field in
Ambon where last Friday's ceremony was taking place and unfurled a banned RMS
flag.
Sudarmaydi said the internal investigation was intended to uncover the security
lapses that allowed the incident to occur.
"(We want to see) at which levels the carelessness happened -- whether at the level of
the troop commander, sector commander, security duty commander or myself. We
were deceived ... but we'll evaluate it and for certain take stern action against the
military personnel who was responsible in the field.
"We will report to the Indonesian Military commander and the Army chief of staff.
Whatever decision they make, we will be ready to receive it."
Sudarmaydi said an investigation was also under way to determine who planned the
action by the RMS activists.
"The leader of the intruders (who posed as cakalele dancers at the ceremony) entered
the venue using an ID card. How could he get an ID card? This shows he did not act
alone ... there must be others. The investigation will be handled by the police," he
said.
At Tuesday's hearing Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu said he was ready to be
investigated, as were those below him at the Maluku provincial administration.
"If civil servants were involved in the incident, strict actions have to be taken against
them in line with existing regulations," Ralahalu said.
He said police must determine who coordinated the event, including how the ID card
used was obtained.
"It has to be checked who made (the card) ... whether it involves anyone in the
administration."
Michael Rumandjak, who was in charge of issuing ID cards for the ceremony, said all
of the cards were approved by the local Binaya military office.
"All the approved ID cards gave the holders' names, except for the dancers, who were
the responsibility of those in charge of the artistic side of the event," he said.
Maluku Legislative Council Speaker Richard Louhenapessy expressed concern that
security personnel simply allowed the RMS activists to enter the venue, assuming
they were late-arriving dancers.
"Security officers should have kept an eye on whoever was coming late to the
ceremony. Why didn't this happen?"
Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Guntur Gatot Setyawan said 38 suspects had been
detained over the incident.
"We're still investigating whether others were involved," he said.
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