TEMPO Magazine, June 04 - 10, 2002
Ambon
A New Cloak for the Maluku Conflict
Maj. Gen, Djoko Santoso has been installed as Commander of the Maluku Security
Restoration Operation Command. His installment has been criticized as a hidden
attempt to declare a state of military emergency in Maluku.
The roar of a bomb and the reports of a series of shots from automatic weapons fire
shattered the quiet in Ambon, late Thursday night last week. As usual, locals
immediately tried to guess the direction from where the frightening sounds came.
According to the Sector Commander of Security Restoration I/Ambon, Col. Edwin
Hudawi Lubis, the explosion came from the Karangpanjang area, while the origin of
the weapons fire was unclear.
This incident could well be taken as a symbol of challenge. Be advised, this explosion
happened a day after the installment ceremony for the Pattimura Military Region XVI
Commander, Maj. Gen Djoko Santoso, who was also appointed as Commander of the
Maluku Security Restoration Operation Command (Pangkoopslihkam).
The creation of this new position was based on a decision of Military Commander in
Chief Gen. Widodo and intended to increase the effectiveness of efforts to restore
security. Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs & Security, Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono claimed the objective of instituting the Security Restoration Operation
Command (Koopslihkam) was especially to improve coordination between military and
police posted in Maluku. This is because clashes between military personnel and the
police have already become a symptom of the underlying tensions there, contributing
to inflaming the conflict so it continues to rage on.
In this new structure, command will be held by a two-star military general, while his
deputy will be a one-star police general. They will answer to the Head of the Civil
Emergency Regional Government (PDSD), Saleh Latuconsina, who-under Law No.
23/1959 on Civil Emergencies-is in charge of all forces, both military as well as the
police, in Maluku. "Initially, I will carry out consolidation within the military, then jointly
with other elements of the security forces, we will enforce the law, establish public
order, and security," said Djoko, former Commander of Division 2 of the Army's
Strategic Forces Command.
This consolidation within the military that he most probably meant was the control of
his troops. As an illustration, until the first half of 2000, for instance, the troops in
Maluku were only local recruits -70 percent Christian-and they had already become
involved in the conflict by supporting their co-religionists. Other forces-such as the
police, who mostly originated from Bali-had already left Maluku to avoid the conflict.
Actually, attempts to put a stop to conflict between the troops have already been
tried. The Commission to Investigate Human Rights Violations and Mediasi (KPMM)
in Maluku even once suggested that the government withdraw all locally recruited
troops in Maluku. The points in the Malino II peace agreement included two on
weapons and the military, namely the importance of collaboration of the military with
the police, together with one rejecting the presence of any armed groups.
It is unclear whether this new Koopslihkam structure will quickly bring peace to
Maluku. What is certain, though, is that the sound of protests has resounded from
Jakarta. Military observer Lt. Gen. Hasnan Habib has commented that this structure
is in conflict with legislative assembly decision No. VI / 2000 on the role of the military
forces and the police. The decision states that the task of internal security shall be
carried out by the police, while the military forces are for defense against external
attack.
Ori Rahman, Coordinator for the commission for Missing Persons and Violent Acts,
has even leveled accusations this restructuring of being a another form of military
emergency. "I say that because in practice everything will be under the command of
the military," he stressed. Nevertheless, Minister of Home Affairs, Hari Sabarno,
denied these accusations. The Pangkoopslihkam, he claimed, comes under the civil
emergency power-holder, i.e. the Maluku Governor. "Don't mistakenly interpret this as
if the formation of Pangkoopslihkam means Maluku is under the military," he said.
Uniquely, the Maluku public has not vehemently criticized this new security structure.
"Whoever the official is that is replaced is not a problem. But should the policy stay
the same as in the past, that will not resolve the problem," said M. Husni Putuhena,
head of the team of muslim lawyer coordinators for the Maluku area.
Jhon Ruhulesin, a member of the Malino II delegation, claims that what everyone
really hopes for from this is the repair of the relationship of the military and police.
This is needed so they can be most useful in applying the Malino II agreement. "What
is important is that the current very weak coordination should be improved," said Jhon.
Without that, the bomb explosions and rifle fire in Maluku will never cease. Bina
Bektiati, Yusnita Tiakoly (Ambon)
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