The Jakarta Post, 26 April, 2002
Separatist flags fly in Maluku
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
At least six people were injured in two explosions and a church was torched in
Ambon on Thursday putting a two-month old peace-truce between warring Christians
and Muslims in limbo.
Ambon was virtually paralyzed throughout the day as local, mostly Christian
separatists fulfilled their vow to fly their flag to commemorate their movement's 52nd
anniversary.
The four-colored South Maluku Republic (RMS) flag -- white, blue, green and dominant
red -- fluttered in a number of places including in Ambon, nearby Seram, Saparua and
Haruku islands.
About 1,000 Muslims gathered on Jl. A.M. Sangadji and marched toward the Trikora
statue at 9:30 a.m. in protest of the RMS flag-raising. Maluku military commander
Brig. Gen. Mustopo came to pacify them as hundreds of Christians came down from
the opposite direction waving the same national flag.
The two groups eventually came face to face. Mustopo appealed to the Christian
group to retreat. When they did so a bomb exploded near the Silo church, which was
being renovated.
Security officers fired into the air but just at that moment some protesters slipped
through the security cordons and torched the church.
The Christians and the Muslims in the Malukus have been at war since January 1999.
The government imposed civil emergency rule in the province in September 2000. But
the sectarian war, which has cost 6,000 lives and displaced 750,000 others, has
gained a separatist tone in recent months.
Another explosion was heard at about 11 a.m. in Rijali subdistrict in Karangpanjang
Bawah injuring two civilians R. Molle and N. Aipassa. They are being treated at Bhati
Rahayu and GPM hospitals.
Tension gripped the city since 7 a.m. as Ambon streets were practically deserted.
Residents were seen assembling in their respective neighborhoods. Office workers
and school children readied themselves to go on with their daily activities in the
morning but they soon canceled their plans as there was no public transportation.
Tension increased after midday when two clusters of balloons were released carrying
about ten RMS flags coming from the hills in the eastern part of the city.
Troops atop multi-storied buildings in Urimesing subdistrict fired shots at the balloons
eventually hitting one of them.
RMS supporters had made public their plan to raise their flags in a ceremony in their
daily rallies outside police headquarters in Ambon ever since their leader Alex
Manuputty was arrested by the government on April 10.
The government has closed the province to foreigners and non-governmental
organizations and imposed a news blackout on RMS activities for 20 days as of April
10.
The authorities had secured the leader's neighborhood in Kuda Mati subdistrict in
Ambon, a spot most likely to be used by his supporters to hoist the flag.
But soon after midnight on Thursday, police found the flag being hoisted in a number
of places including on top of a tree in Telaga Raja hills in Kusu-Kusu Sere village,
Sirimau district and at 6 a.m. atop a flag pole in a house on Jl. Pattimura about 50
meters from police headquarters.
Elsewhere in the province, the flags were also found in Batugajah and Waiyori hills in
Passo village, on the Central Maluku island of Seram in Waisarisa village, Jerili village
and Masohi city. On Haruku island, the flags were found in Aboru and Wasu villages.
Authorities said a total of 27 people had been nabbed in connection with Thursday's
incidents.
In Jakarta, President Megawati Soekarnoputri issued an order to take necessary
security measures in the restive province.
"The President ordered us to take stern measures against the rioters, but I cannot tell
you what kind of measures she was referring to," Coordinating Minister for Social
Welfare Jusuf Kalla told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.
National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on the same occasion that the situation
in Ambon had been brought under control and that the burning of the Silo Church had
provoked Christians to take revenge.
When asked whether stern measures included to shoot on sight, Da'i said: "the order
to shoot is in line with procedures to handle a chaotic situation."
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
blamed local authorities for their lack of preparedness.
"I'm very disappointed. There should have been better preparations in securing the
area as there have been clear indications that the separatists wanted to raise the flag
while the Muslim community had said they wouldn't just stand by," Susilo told
reporters after accompanying the President while she received visiting Lao Prime
Minister Boun Nhang Voracith.
He said he had received information from Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina of a
new provocation from the Muslim community and had instructed local authorities to
take necessary measures to prevent further violence.
People loyal to Dutch colonial rule declared the existence of RMS in 1950 and staged
a revolt against newly-independent Indonesia. The rebellion was quashed and the
movement has since been active mostly abroad.
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