The Jakarta Post, March 07, 2006
Ambon and law enforcement
During the years of bloodshed in Maluku and North Maluku one of the most fervent
wishes of residents was for law enforcers to do their jobs, and do them properly. At
one point "An eye for an eye" became a common motto and the Ambonese feared for
their survival, with the death of at least 6,000 people out of a total population of about
2.1 million in the two provinces.
Maluku has faded out of the headlines in the past three or four years and the people
live in relative peace, although over 15,000 families are still refugees and only minor
players in the violence, not the masterminds, have been prosecuted.
Several violent incidents during the last week have caused much concern, with people
fearfully watching every seemingly trivial scuffle, particularly in Ambon, the province's
small capital. A fight between a public transportation driver and a passenger in Ambon
in the early 1999 sparked incidents in the other islands of Maluku, causing rumors
that Christians were attacking Muslims and vice versa.
Late Friday a police officer was stabbed to death by eight unidentified attackers and
the next day a soldier was killed, while a student sustained serious injuries after
police fired into a crowd. There were reports of tires being burned and a main street
blockaded by residents angry at the police shooting of their neighbor. Locals removed
the blockade Sunday after gaining assurance from the police that they would name
the officer who shot student Saiful Wakano.
Since a government-brokered peace agreement was signed Feb. 12, 2002, a number
of incidents have threatened the sense of security that Ambon residents are trying to
maintain. Thus, with every explosion or shooting, bystanders keep a distance and
allow the police to do their job. After last week's incidents, if anyone was looking for
hostile motivations from a religious group, they kept such thoughts to themselves.
Locals have said they know from experience that war between Muslims and
Christians is just what some troublemakers are looking for, given that Maluku was for
decades the nation's showcase for religious and ethnic harmony.
With the latest incidents, we applaud the job of the law enforcers in keeping the
precious peace in Maluku, the once famed spice islands. Following what could only
be described as the criminal neglect of law enforcers in 1999, we have seen efforts to
assign the best available officers to Maluku, particularly in Ambon. These new
personnel know that apart from keeping law and order they also have a stained legacy
to overcome, that of both the military and police virtually standing by as crowds
engaged in violence and destruction, and often making it worse by lending or selling
weapons to the warring parties.
In Ambon appreciation has grown for law enforcers. Once given a clear mandate they
managed to end the scenes of machete and gun-toting youngsters in the streets,
which for a few years became common.
Nowadays, letting sparks fly beyond even a single scuffle puts the reputation of law
enforcers at stake, for locals have seen firsthand the damage done by those who take
the law into their own hands. They have learned to trust the men in uniform, with
people now willing to resume business and return to their homes. And with that trust
locals have had little patience with the usual excuses for any flaw in keeping the
peace, such as a lack of funding or other resources.
Locals in Ambon seem to be concentrating more on rebuilding their lives than
demanding justice for their losses, which they rightly deserve. When one's life has
been turned upside down with the deaths of loved ones, and the destruction of
property and livelihoods, an assurance that one can live free from fear is the least the
state can provide.
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