THE AUSTRALIAN, April 25, 2002
Rebels to raise Maluku flag
By Don Greenlees, Jakarta correspondent
A SEPARATIST group in Indonesia's violence-scarred province of Maluku pledged to
press ahead with plans to hoist a republican flag today, defying new curbs on civil
liberties and warnings of a crackdown by the province's civil emergency
administration.
Using sweeping powers granted under the emergency laws, the provincial
administration has taken measures to prevent the Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM)
from gaining publicity for the flag-raising.
Governor Saleh Latuconsina issued an order on April 10 banning foreigners from
entering the province until the end of the month, citing concerns about today's
ceremony. Six days later, police arrested FKM leader Alex Manuputty. This week the
administration imposed a news blackout on local media and extended the curfew.
Anxiety over the flag-raising and the imposition of new civil restrictions comes at a
time of relative calm in Maluku, which is slowly recovering from a three-year sectarian
conflict. Between the eruption of Muslim-Christian clashes in January 1999 and July
last year, when community violence started to peter out, an estimated 6000 people
were killed.
A peace agreement imposed by Jakarta in February confirmed the security
improvement. Despite this deal, signed in the South Sulawesi town of Malino,
tensions have been kept alive by arson and bombings.
In the worst attack, seven people were killed and scores injured by a bomb in a
Christian area of the capital, Ambon, on April 3. The Governor's office was gutted by
fire after the bombing.
Provincial authorities have accused the Christian-dominated FKM of sustaining
hostilities. But who is behind the bombing, and other acts of violence or provocation,
is a mystery.
Security analysts are concerned some local leaders and elements of the security
forces want to maintain unrest to preserve their power and a lucrative protection
business. Some religious and community hardliners have also declared they are
unready to accept the Malino agreement.
The FKM leaders deny their organisation has weapons or supports violence. "We
don't have guns – this is a peaceful struggle, a democratic struggle for human rights,"
said Jakarta-based FKM leader Louis Risakotta.
The FKM, a revival of the 1950s Republic of South Maluku (RMS) movement, emerged
in December 2000 in response to what it says was the unwill ingness of the security
forces to defend Christians from Muslim attacks.
They cite Jakarta's failure to prevent up to 3000 armed and trained fighters from the
extremist Laskar Jihad travelling from Java to join the conflict in May 2000. The arrival
of the Laskar Jihad – which many analysts believe was a creation of senior military
officers – was decisive in switching the balance of power in favour of the Muslims.
Mr Risakotta says today's planned flag ceremony – marking the 52nd anniversary of
the declaration of the Republic of South Maluku – will be symbolic of two demands:
to expel outside fighters and offer the choice of independence in a referendum. "The
people feel the Government failed to protect Maluku, so they have come together to
find an alternative," he said.
Security forces have stepped up pressure ahead of today's ceremony, despite the fact
the RMS flag was raised without incident last year.
Dr Manuputty, who was kept under surveillance before his arrest, is being held in
Ambon, but is yet to be charged. He could face a year in jail if it is proved he broke
the emergency laws.
© The Australian
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