Sala Waku Maluku, 04 Mei 2004
Sala Waku Maluku Foundation
C/o Jl. Yan Paays 51 (Belakang Deperindag), Soaema, Ambon
Phone/Fax: +62-911-311375 / Email: yayasan_salawaku@hotmail.com
CENTRE FOR ASSESSMENT OF MALUKU CONFLICT (CAMACO)
Communication/Information staff: Semmy Littik
HP: +62-81434046164 / E-mail: patglomar@yahoo.com.au
The State of Security in Ambon
1. Facts from the Fields
1. The security condition in Ambon is more and more conducive since Monday (May
3) as the conflict has dramatically diminished today as compared to yesterday. In
Monday night, one bomb blast occurred in Diponegoro area (around 500 m from our
office or 200 m from the headquarters of the Military Regional Command XVI
Pattimura). There were also 2 bomb blasts in the centre of fighting area in Batu
Gantung and Tanah Lapang Kecil, and 1 blast in Anthony Rhebok street (800 m from
our office). Otherwise, the night was serene and peaceful, although tensed.
2. Some main roads in the city have been reopened since Monday. People can pass
the main road through the fighting area from Batu Gantung to Dr Latumeten Street up
to the centre of the city. However, sniper shot at a man as he was passing the war
area driving a motorbike. We have not got his identity yet.
3. Yesterday afternoon, the Chief of National Police, Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, accompanied
by some national prominent figures like K. H. Abdullah Gymnastiar and Chairman of
Indonesian Council of Churches, Rev. Dr. Nathan Setiabudi, visited Ambon. Under
tight police protection, they went to the headquarters of the 733rd Airborne Battalion
(Yon Linud 733) to meet the Provincial government, community leaders and religious
leaders of Moslems and Christians. In that meeting, Gen. Bachtiar and his team
asked the Moslems and Christians to end the violence. However, the meeting became
uncontrollable when leaders from both communities angrily shouted at Gen. Bachtiar
and his team as they did not give them chance to express their view in an open and
direct dialog. The Chief of Police cut short the meeting because he said KH
Gymnastiar had to attend another meeting in Jakarta. Many leaders in Ambon
expressed their disgust to the Chief of Police for his misconduct.
4. Up to this afternoon, people have removed road barricades in the main roads of
Ambon, especially from Benteng in the west of the city to the fighting area in east like
Batu Gantung, Waringin, Kampung Kolam, DR Sitanala Street, Pohon Pule, Silo
church in Trikora area up to the centre of Ambon city. Public transportation has been
operated without any trouble. People began to carry out their activities cautiously.
5. Although the security condition is conducive, some newspaper today kept blaming
the separatist group (FKM/RMS) as the root of conflict in 25 April 2004. The security
agencies, especially the police, are continually hunting for and arresting people
identified as the supporters of the separatist group.
2. Analysis
From the situational outlook up to today, we can make the following analysis:
1. The security of Ambon, especially in the centre of the war area, is much better. We
wrote the reasons for this condition in our "1-3 May 2004" report. However, bomb
blasts and snipers still occur in and outside the war zone. A proper control of these
illegal activities may prevent more violence and victims.
2. The government and security forces enthusiastically hunt for, detain and legally
process the separatists. However, they have done nothing to the terrorists who burned
and destroyed houses, schools, churches and public facilities, and killed and tortured
innocent people. The discrepancy in the government actions clearly demonstrates a
political move to justify their claim that the separatist group was the root of the last
week misery. By closing their eyes toward other guilty parties, the government and
security forces open themselves to severe criticism from public that they are
discriminative and partial, as they do not legally deal with the terrorists. This kind of
treatment will only leave behind resentment that can be manipulated by provocateurs
to create a new wave of everlasting violence in Maluku at anytime.
3. Conclusion
From the reality in the field and our analysis, we can conclude that the attempts of
the government and security forces to contain the conflict should be followed by
efforts to find the other perpetrators of the conflict. Otherwise, imposing the laws on
the separatist group alone will give an impression that the government is conducting a
legal procedure without transparency, justice and integrity, i.e. a discriminative
process.
@Team for Assessment of Maluku Conflict 2004
Yayasan Sala Waku Maluku - Shield Maluku Foundation
Sala Waku Maluku
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