ANTARA, November 14, 2006
Pattimura mily command receives 17 home-made firearms
Ambon, Maluku (ANTARA News) - The Pattimura military command again received 17
home-made firearms and 200 ammunitions as leftovers of the 1999 conflict, the
military commander, Maj.Gen. Sudarmaidy S, said here Tuesday.
"Several local people voluntarily surrendered the firearms in conjunction with the
implementation of the so-called Pela-Gandong operation, a means to bring the people
together to maintain peace in Maluku and North Maluku," he said.
The Pattimura military command whose jurisdiction covers Maluku province and North
Maluku province has been conducting the operaton since recently in an effort to
produce better communications and give mental guidances to the local people of both
faiths, Sudarmaidy said.
The firearms consisting of 14 riffles and three small arms would be destroyed and
disposed of to the sea, he said, adding that if he found military standard guns, they
would be surrendered to the military headquarters or the police.
He considered that the Pela Gandong operation has so far been running effectively
through open and communicative approaches to the people both in Maluku province
and North Maluklu province and the measure was expected to be able to overcome
communal problems.
Sudarmaidy admitted Maluku and North Maluku were still potential to conflicts despite
the normal security situation since the past several years.
"In general, the condition in areas under the Pattimura military command`s jurisdiction
is increasingly conducive but we should remain on the alert as the areas are still
potential to conflicts as there are still problems which must be settled thoroughly," he
said.
He also disclosed that there were indications that certain persons who had tried to
create chaos and restlessness among the local people. (*)
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