KYODO NEWS, April 25, 2002
Separatist flags hoisted in Indonesian eastern islands
JAKARTA, April 25 (Kyodo) - Despite strong warnings by Indonesia's security forces,
a number of flags of the separatist Christian-based South Maluku Republic (RMS)
were hoisted Thursday morning in the country's riot-torn eastern islands of Maluku to
commemorate the movement's anniversary, the state-run news agency Antara said.
Antara reported that the flag hoisting raised anger among thousands of people, who
took to the streets demanding security forces take action against RMS supporters
who hoisted the flag.
Meanwhile, a Maluku correspondent of the Jakarta-based Elshinta private radio station
said at least 15 RMS flags were set aloft by balloons, but were immediately shot
down by police.
According to Antara, the situation in the Maluku provincial capital of Ambon was calm
but tense.
Hundreds of police and soldiers were seen throughout the city, while schools and
offices allowed their students and employees to go home after 9:30 a.m., when the
flags were hoisted.
At least six bomb explosions occurred in the city, Antara said, but there were no
casualties,
On Wednesday night, the Maluku civil emergency government announced that at
least 10 RMS-related people have been arrested.
Last week, local government investigators in Maluku, which consists of the provinces
of Maluku and North Maluku, arrested Alex Manuputty, chairman of the
pro-independence group Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM), who planned to lead the
flag-hoisting ceremony, on the charge of subversion.
The civil emergency government has banned foreigners, including overseas journalists
and foreign correspondents in Indonesia and nongovernmental organizations but
excluding foreign government representatives, from entering the islands from April 11
until the end of this month.
A nighttime curfew has also been imposed since Saturday.
The South Maluku Republic was declared on April 25, 1950 by former soldiers from
Maluku who had fought for Dutch colonialists and did not want to join the new
Republic of Indonesia.
The rebellion was quickly put down, but many RMS supporters left for the
Netherlands. Some people claiming to be RMS supporters were involved in train
hijackings and other incidents in the Netherlands in the late 1970s.
Conflicts between Muslims and Christians in the Malukus have dragged on for three
years. According to official estimates, the discord has claimed more than 5,000 lives
from both the Christian and Muslim sides.
In a bid to calm tensions, the government declared a state of civil emergency in the
two provinces on June 28, 2000. Christians and Muslims signed a peace accord on
Feb. 14.
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