The Jakarta Post, 13 May 2002
Expelling militant groups from Maluku 'is not solution'
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The expulsion of violent militant organizations from Maluku was easier said than done
and did not serve as an initial step to restoring peace in the troubled province,
observers said on Sunday.
Sociologist Imam B. Prasodjo from the University of Indonesia said the government's
latest directive on expelling the militant groups -- Muslim militant group Laskar Jihad
and Christian militant group Laskar Kristus -- did not guarantee that security would
improve.
"When it does not guarantee security, expelling those groups will not bring a major
positive impact to Maluku. The forming of Laskar Jihad and Laskar Kristus itself, was
because Muslim and Christian communities in Maluku severely lacked any sense of
security... there was always a sense of paranoia between both communities," Imam
told The Jakarta Post in the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar.
He said that if expelling the groups was necessary, the government should make itself
aware of the possible grievous consequences of its actions, and should therefore
guarantee the security of the communities with the formation of a strong security force
team.
"This team should include the military, the police and members of the general public,"
Imam said.
State Ministry of Research and Technology staff member Thamrin Amal Tomagola
earlier said that elite security forces from outside of Maluku, known as the Joint
Battalion of selected elite security forces, needed to be deployed in Maluku to keep
the peace, since local security forces were themselves vulnerable to partisan
involvement.
"The deployment of ordinary military and police officers, especially local ones, needs
to be minimized or even gradually phased out, since they are caught up with their own
religious and economic concerns ... they demand a security fee of sometimes up to
Rp 300,000 (US$30) just to escort people to the market, for example. They also fail to
do much about armed militias," Thamrin, also a sociologist, said.
Not a single person has been sentenced to jail during the course of the three-year
sectarian conflict, which has reportedly claimed over 6,000 lives.
Maluku's Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. Mustopo said on Saturday that he
was ready to carry out the five points ordered by the government to restore security in
the province. "As part of the civil authorities, I'm ready to carry out the government's
order. For us (the military), obeying an order is easy as long as it's in line with
existing regulations," Mustopo said as quoted by Antara.
As part of the efforts to put a stop to the renewed violence in Maluku, the government
has issued a directive ordering the dissolution of the pro-independence Maluku
Sovereignty Forum (FKM), and the expulsion of reputed troublemakers Laskar Jihad
and Laskar Kristus, from Maluku.
The directive which took effect on May 8 this year also requires that security forces
launch door-to-door raids to disarm militias and their supporters, and for law enforcers
to investigate all violations of the law that have occurred during the three-year conflict.
Ibrahim Ambong, chairman of the House of Representatives' Commission I for political
and security affairs, said that the dissolution of FKM, as well as the expulsion of
Laskar Jihad and Laskar Kristus, were necessary so that "there will be no excuse for
local authorities, when they fail to stop violence there."
"All warring groups must be pulled out as many say that these groups are creating
conflicts there. Local authorities need to investigate these groups as many also say
that some use military weapons," Ibrahim told the Post on Saturday.
Fresh violence erupted at the bordering Mangga Dua-Diponegoro area on Sunday
afternoon. A soldier, identified as Pvt. Erdiyanto of the 741 Infantry Battalion, was
injured by a bomb, apparently lobbed during a firefight with alleged militant Muslims.
All contents copyright © of The Jakarta Post.
|
