The Jakarta Post, 5/18/2004 6:04:31 PM
President Megawati to make brief visit to restive Maluku
JAKARTA (AFP): President Megawati Soekarnoputri will make her first visit to the city
of Ambon since it was rocked by communal violence last month, officials said on
Tuesday.
Megawati will meet local religious and civic leaders during her brief trip to Ambon, the
capital of restive Maluku province, on May 22, Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu said.
"The head of state will only be in Ambon for three hours," Ralahalu told the Sinar
Harapan evening daily.
Thirty-eight people died and over 100 were injured during more than a week of violence
in Ambon, which was sparked by a mainly Christian pro-independence parade there
on April 25.
Garibaldi Sujatmiko, the head of Megawati's press bureau, confirmed to AFP that she
would visit Ambon but did not provide details.
Ralahalu said that from Patimmura airport where Megawati is to land, she will be flown
by helicopter to the governor's office across the Bay of Ambon for meetings. She will
also inaugurate development projects, he said.
Megawati will arrive in Ambon from Ternate, in the neighboring province of North
Maluku. Afterwards she will travel to Timika in Papua province.
An international think-tank on Tuesday said both national and local governments
responded poorly to the Ambon strife.
Ambon was ravaged by three years of Muslim-Christian clashes which left more than
5,000 dead, before a February 2002 peace pact ended the violence.
A bomb exploded in Ambon Monday night after two separatist flags were seen flying.
All contents copyright © of The Jakarta Post.
|
