TEMPO, Saturday, 01 May, 2004 | 00:56 WIB
National
Martial Law Not to Be Imposed in Ambon
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian Government has decided not to impose
martial law status in Ambon following the conflict that is currently taking place in the
city.
Minister of Home Affairs and ad interim Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
Affairs Hari Sabarno said that such a change of the status required time and could not
be imposed just like that.
"Actually, what people in Ambon need is to feel secure, peaceful and fair. Changing
the status of Ambon will not automatically provide this," said Sabarno following a
coordination meeting on political and security affairs in Jakarta on Thursday (29/4).
According to Sabarno, the most important thing now is to enforce the law and settle
the conflict.
The government has therefore deployed four police companies as well as two
Indonesian Military (TNI) battalions and also sent Sinjo Harry Sarundayang as the
liaison officer between the central and Maluku governments.
TNI chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto has instructed XVI Pattimura Military chief Maj.
Gen. Syarifuddin Summah to shoot dead all snipers seen in Ambon.
"They have shot people. So, we have to shoot them back if we meet them," Sutarto
stated.
He added that the TNI would prevent the Laskar Jihad from entering Ambon.
In the cabinet meeting held on Thursday (29/4), the government also decided that
questioning regarding the Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM) and South Maluku
Republic (RMS) will be conducted in Jakarta.
So far, the Maluku Police have arrested 32 suspected FKM/RMS supporters,
including the FKM executive secretary-general, Moses Tuanakota.
The situation in Ambon on Thursday (29/4) was still tense following shooting and
explosions that led to an increase in the number of victims.
However, in general, the situation has improved a little bit compared to the first days
of the conflict.
(Yandhrie Arvian/Fajar WH/Deddy Sinaga/Mochtar Touwe/Yusnita-Koran Tempo)
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