The Jakarta Post, May 7, 2002
Govt backs firm action against Ambon provocateurs
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As if to prove its commitment to law enforcement in Maluku, the central government
has given the green light for authorities to arrest and charge provocateurs in the
troubled province.
Minister of Defense Matori Abdul Djalil expressed support on Monday for the move
taken by security personal in Maluku to prosecute key figures allegedly responsible
for violence in Maluku.
"I think what the police have done -- arresting South Maluku Republic (RMS)
separatist movement leader Alex Manuputty and commander of the (Muslim-based)
Laskar Jihad organization Ja'far Umar Thalib -- was correct as there had been
intensive consultation in the Cabinet meetings prior to the arrests," Matori said after
meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri, along with Coordinating Minister for
People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla.
Matori was referring to the arrest of Ja'far in Surabaya on Saturday and the arrest of
Alex Manuputty in mid last month.
Meanwhile, Jusuf Kalla said there should have been no problems with the arrest of
Ja'far.
"It (the arrest) is part of efforts to uphold the supremacy of law ... I have met with Ja'far
before and he himself had called for the importance of legal supremacy in the
province," Jusuf said.
"So, he (Ja'far) must accept the move taken by the Maluku authorities," he added.
Ja'far was arrested at the Juanda Airport in Surabaya, East Java, on Saturday on his
way to Jakarta from Ambon, the capital of Maluku.
Matori admitted that there were parties dissatisfied with the move taken by the
Maluku authorities, but said such action was necessary as long as it complied with
existing laws and was applied to anyone implicated fairly.
"Those inciting unrest in Maluku must be punished," he said.
Later in the day, Matori asked outsiders to leave the conflict zone in Ambon, saying
that security restoration attempts there were none of their business.
"Many people claim that they promote human rights and religious cooperation but it is
for the sake of their own political interests. They never think whether their actions have
caused the deaths of others or not," the minister told reporters prior to attending a
security coordination meeting.
"In accordance with the recommendation issued during the Malino II peace accord, I
asked these outsiders to leave the conflict zone of Ambon because their assistance
in maintaining security is no longer their authority ... it's the responsibility of the
security authorities." Matori said.
Present at the security meeting were, among others, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Hassan Wirayuda and National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar.
Asked about the alleged involvement of security forces in the latest violence in
Ambon, Matori said: "Stern sanctions must be imposed on the parties involved in or
those who had incited the violence."
Meanwhile, Da'i Bachtiar maintained that the recent attacks on Soya village in Ambon
had a strong connection to Ja'far's comments during Friday prayers in Ambon on April
26.
"We don't have to see the impact (of his speech) ... provoking people is a crime," Da'i
said.
Asked whether the videotape, which the police had, could be considered evidence,
Da'i said: "Yes ... a videotape is a lawful evidence in court."
Unlike Matori, Da'i, however, refused to comment on whether the police would take
the initiative in removing Laskar Jihad members from the restive area as part of the
implementation of the Malino II peace agreement.
In a related development, a lawyer representing Ja'far said on Monday that they would
file a pretrial lawsuit against Da'i for the police's decision to arrest Ja'far.
"We'll file the lawsuit with the South Jakarta District Court for the police's baseless
arrest (on Ja'far Umar Thalib)," Mahendradatta said.
Meanwhile, a leader of the Pemuda Ka'bah Muslim Youth Movement asked security
authorities to release Ja'far if they did not have enough evidence to support the
allegations.
"If the police do not have strong evidence against him, Ja'far should be released," said
Lukman Hakim Hasibuan after meeting with Vice President Hamzah Haz at the vice
presidential palace.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf said on Saturday that Ja'far would
be charged with Article 160 of the Criminal Code on agitation and Article 130 of the
Code on slanderous remarks against the president and vice president.
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