LAKSAMANA.Net, May 24, 2004 11:38 PM
Ambon Tense After New Bombings
Laksamana.Net - Ambon, the capital of Maluku province, remained tense Monday
(24/5/04) with residents re-erecting roadblocks a day after bomb blasts injured five
people.
Barricades were set up along several main streets in Christian and Muslim
neighborhoods, leaving many residents unable to get to work.
Ambon Police chief Leonidas Braskan was quoted by detikcom online news portal as
saying his officers were using "persuasive approaches" to remove the roadblocks,
most of which had been erected by members of anti-separatist groups.
The city had appeared to returning to normal last week after a brief visit by President
Megawati Sukarnoputri on Saturday, following an outbreak of Muslim-Christian
violence that started on April 25 and killed 38 people. Most of the dead were killed by
unidentified snipers, prompting speculation the violence was orchestrated by elements
of the security forces.
Two bombs exploded in Ambon on Sunday in what police described as efforts by
"irresponsible people" to provoke the public.
Five people were injured in a blast in the predominantly Christian neighborhood of
Latta in the city's Baguala subdistrict. Two were still being treated in hospital on
Monday.
The bomb had been placed in a large old tin of 'Khong-Ghuan' brand biscuits located
near a grocery store. The tin had reportedly also contained three packages of 'Dua
Kelinci' brand peanuts and two bottles of beer.
The second bomb, which exploded in the predominantly Muslim neighborhood of Batu
Merah, did not cause any injuries.
Braskan said police were investigating the attacks but had yet to identify the
perpetrators.
Religious and communal clashes in the Maluku islands, fanned by members of the
military, police and Java-based radical Islamic group Laskar Jihad, left more than
6,000 people dead between 1999-2002.
Megawati on Saturday denied she was unconcerned by the latest Ambon violence,
pointing out she had earlier sent her daughter on a visit to the city and had also
deployed reinforcements of police and soldiers.
The president said the unrest was not religiously motivated but was simply a political
problem sparked by separatists from the outlawed Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM)
seeking to re-establish the ill-fated South Maluku Republic (RMS).
She said the separatists should not be labeled as Christians because there are also
some Muslims in FKM. "This is not a religious problem but a political problem
involving pressure from a small group that wants to secede from the Unitary Republic
of Indonesia," she said.
Fugitives Re-Arrested
Police on Sunday captured four suspected FKM separatists who had escaped from
custody on May 9.
The four suspects - Johny Litaay (30), Johny Saiya (28), Polly Lauherry (30) and
Yacob Sinay (31) – were reportedly sent to National Police headquarters in Jakarta
on Monday afternoon for questioning.
"The four will be brought to Jakarta for investigation and to prevent further impacts on
the security situation [in Ambon]," Maluku Police spokesman Commissioner Hendro
Prasety was quoted as saying by state news agency Antara.
The escape of the suspects had prompted anti-separatist groups in Ambon to
increase the frequency of their vigilante patrols.
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