From: "Joshua Latupatti" joshualatupatti@hotmail.com
Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2001 14:02:16 +0000
SERIES OF NATIONAL CRIMES AGAINST MALUKU (01)
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Greeting,
What so called a 'sectarian conflict' has been going on for almost three years now.
Three consecutive Governments seemed to try to restore peace to the province but
with no success. Many luminous theory and concepts had been brought up to be the
solutions to end the conflict but all had finally fallen to the ground. Many government
officials including the former Vice President who is the president at the moment,
unbelievable number of army personnel and police officers have been in and out of the
province but the people of Maluku, especially Christians are still being slaughtered
and driven away from their villages and lands. While former President, K.H.
Abdurahman Wahid did not have much to do due to the lack of support from the high
rank military and police officers, state officials and politicians, B.J. Habibie was seen
to have even "brought the firewood" into the Maluku, while the current President, Mss.
Megawati Soekarnoputri has simply done nothing.
Due to the fact that the conflict initiated on the day of Idul Fitri (Moslem's New Year),
January 19, 1999, though was marked by two quite simultaneous attacks which
resulted in the burning of houses in two Christians neighborhoods of Mardika and
Silale in the town of Ambon, Christians were accused for ruining the "holiest day of
Islam" by attacking Moslems when they were blended in the celebration. Some other
Moslem sources had then came up with a false testimony telling that the riot stated
when the mob of Christians attacked and shot the Moslems in their morning 'Ied
Prayer' at the center field area of Ambon,. Lacking of evidences, this untruth story had
formally disappeared quite fast . But informally, it is still spread out to provoke some
decent Moslems who have no clues about Ambon nor Maluku. Actually, initiating a
riot on the day of Idul Fitri by Moslems would have given some advantages to them.
Firstly, mass mobilization on the Idul Fitri day would not raise any suspicious on
Christian side. Secondly, if the attacks turned out to be successful or particularly if it
turned out otherwise, then Moslems would always be quite easily get away with it,
claiming that they wouldn't do such a thing on their holiest day. Other advantage is
that when Islamic symbols like Mosque, sholat (prayer) or in this case, Idul Fitri are
related to any incident, not very many Moslems would readily get upset and therefore,
tend to accept any statement as a truth without even think about it. But, if what
"laskar jihad" have just done on Christians and Hindus in Poso, in the holy month of
Ramadhan is reflected on, then the truth about the beginning of 'the bloody Idul Fitri'
will be completely figured out.
Lacking of confidence about the above allegation had forced them to make up another
fairy tale known as "Christian Separatist Movement", which tried to drive Moslems out
of the province that an independent State of Malukan Christians can be easily
established. This state is claimed to be very much related to or even a replica of the
Republic of South Maluku (Republik Maluku Selatan or RMS) invaded by Soekarno in
1950. The letter 'S' of the RMS which means 'South' was intentionally twisted to be
'Sarani', the local term for 'Nasarani' or Christian, denying the truth the RMS which
consisted of both Christians and Moslems of Maluku. This allegation was then used
very extensively by the rioters who claimed themselves to be true - Moslems and be
called "laskar jihad" (jihad warrior), to justify their evil acts in Malu- ku. The term
"Christians Separatist" has been also utilize to some extent by Indonesian
Government itself, for some reasons we're going to talk about latter on. Talking about
this Republic of South Maluku, RMS, it might be a good idea to look back to the time
around the year of 1950.
In 1950, the 1945-Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia (RI), in which its territory is
identified, was ineffective. According to bilateral agreements known as a series of
International Convention between the Dutch and Indo- nesian Governments, which
were the Linggarjati, Renville, Roem - Royen and Round Table Convention, Maluku
which is part of the Republic of The Great East (NIT) had all the rights to recognize
the unique of its cultural and ethnical background in a self-determination for an
independent state and to establish its relationship to the Netherlands or to a new
established RI. This former colonial region of Dutch was therefore, governed by the
Constitution of the Federal State of Indonesia (Undang-Undang Dasar RIS), which
stated tht RI consisted of only the islands of Jawa and Madura. Soekarno began to
violate these International Conventions by invading the NIT and occupied it's capital,
the city of Makassar, South Sulawesi. The RMS then declared its independence on
April 25, 1950 and proved itself to have met 'all the necessary requirements' to be a
free and independent state, according to the International Laws. In May of 1950,
Soekarno started the invasion (of RI) on the RMS without any legal grounds, which
revealed the second violation of the International Conventions and Laws, and "the first
crime (of RI) com- mitted against Maluku"! Those Christians and Moslems who were
loyal to the RMS were brought to the Netherlands by the Dutch while some would
have to go through a rehabilitation program and were quite comfortable to live under
Soekarno's government. Soekarno was afterwards spoiling the province with several
major development projects and by opening all doors and gates to the participation of
the people of Maluku in his government as high rank officials, so that his unlawful
maneuver against Maluku would be forgiven and forgotten. It is indisputable that the
people of Maluku have all the crystal clear evidences needed to bring Indonesia to the
International Court of Law and Human Rights!
All of the projects and opportunities were then revoked by Soeharto, and replaced with
"greediness of Jakarta", which drained off the treasures from Maluku from its surface
of the land to the very bottom of its seas. Facts about RMS was carefully and
forcefully twisted to oppress Maluku. One of Soekarno's term for Maluku which was "a
naughty kid in the family" or "rebellious province" was written down in every national
book of history, so that all generations of Malukan people will be systematically
reminded, that they ought to say nothing to the discrimination against them and to the
poverty brought about by the obligation to fulfill the desire of their masters in Jakarta!
Soeharto, not to let go his family and clique, had committed the "second state major
crime against Maluku"! Towards the end of his time, Soeharto began to rely on Islam
as 'one leg of his power tripod', and this was then enhanced and intensified by his
successor, B.J.Habibie.
In Habibie's era, the national movement of hard liner Moslems had found its way to the
central power to intensely shift every thing toward Islam. With the Islamic Intellectual
Connection (ICMI), Habibie traveled every where to promote his stupid and obsolete
concept of "proportionality", according to which all things should be constructed in
accordance to the ratio of the Mos- lems population to that of non-Moslem in
Indonesia! This began to shake the foundation of the "brotherhood tradition of
Moslems and Christians in Maluku". He allowed and supported the waves of massive
transmigrations (formally and informally) from around his home town (South and
Southeast of Sulawesi) to outnumber the Christians in Maluku and to irritate them by
removing them from some formal positions in provincial offices. ICMI, then promoted
one of its member, "Akip Latuconsina", a Malukan Moslem, to be the Governor of
Maluku. Through Akip Latuconsina, the destruction of traditional harmony in Maluku
was carried on extensively under Jakarta's control (Habibie, ICMI etc.). Let's bear in
mind that Akip Latuconsina's first outrageous action as the Governor of Maluku was to
get rid of the bell of a Church close to his residence claiming that he would need to
stay longer in bed on Sunday mornings. It is to be easily understood that in this kind
of a quite unhealthy environment Jakarta had created, it took only a spark to bring the
whole province into a enormous flame! Habibie (and ICMI) had just carried out the
"third state major crime against Maluku"! Never let the the Indonesian Council of
Ulama get away from this, since it did contributed a lot to the distraction of the
peacefully traditional social system of Maluku. The MUI forbade Moslems to socialize
with Christians, whose blood was suspected to have been 'contaminated' due to the
unclean (haram) food they consume, such as pork. In relation to that, Moslems were
prohibited to say "Merry Christmas", since it would be an insult to Allah, who has no
other gods beside him. This MUI's Fatwa (religious statement) had pierced the heart
of tradition of "Pela-Gandong" brotherhood! Recently, this crooked Indonesian Council
of Ulama have just renounced the same 'fatwa'!
Now the province has been in fire for almost three years. It is shivering still to recall
the memory of seeing two huge pillars of smoke went up from two different places in
Ambon and so many 'white band and robe warrior alike' everywhere along the coast
side of town. Oddly, after attacking Christians, the 'white mob' who were seen
overcrowded the area called "Pasar Gambus", disappeared from that area which was
occupied mostly by Moslems from South and Southeast Sulawesi. This unguarded
area was became a target of retaliation by Christians in the early morning of January
20, 1999. This peculiar situation on Pasar Gambus was recognized as a "deliberate
sacrifice of Al Fatah" (Al Fatah is the biggest Mosque, and an Islamic center Ambon)
through which it would have the grounds to call for a "jihad war" against the
Christians. It was spread out to the whole country that "The destruction of Pasar
Pambus has shown the hatred of Malukan Christians towards Moslems from South
and Southeast Sulawesi, as well as towards those from Jawa and Sumatera".
Consequently, a war, a "holy war", against Christians of Maluku became a must. And
of course, this 'political in a sectarian blanket kind of war' would not take place if it
was not backed up by some important and top rank Government official and
Military/Police officers who are Moslems.
The "first jihad troops" then arrived in Maluku. At that time, Maluku was under the VIII
Regional Army Command of Trikora, based in Jayapura, Papua (Irian Jaya).
Surprisingly, the first army endorsement troops sent to Maluku was not from
Jayapura, but from the VII Regional Army Command of Wirabuana, based in
Makassar, South Sulawesi. It's commander was Major General "Suaidi
Marasabessy", a Moslem from Kailolo village in Haruku island, central Maluku. He
was known to be at his village, several days before the riot broke out, and along with
his troops was positioned in Ambon by General "Wiranto".the Chief of National Army.
This Strategic Unit of Army (Kostrad) of Wirabuana, Makassar, was learned to carry
out its duty not as an additional security force, but as a "revenging unit", emotionally
related (religion and race) to Moslems from Pasar Gambus! Not only had they shot
Christians and a Minister inside a Church, but they also helped the Moslems mobs to
rob and loot the main business center in down town Am- bon. That's why this troops
is called "the first jihad troops"!
The unit of army command in Maluku, division of Trikora Regional Army Command
was the Resort Army Command 147 - Pattimura, lead by Colonel "KA. Ralahalu".
With the presence of Major General Suaidi Marasabessy in Ambon, Maluku seemed
to be under two different army controls which contradicted each other. Suaidi
Marasabessy was interested more in making up an issue of RMS and put a blame on
it as a main source of conflict, and he did get the suitable support from Jakarta. In
opposite to that, KA. Ralahalu swept up hundreds of organic fire arms and hundreds
pieces of flags of RMS from the Moslem area, Galunggung, and about fifty other
pieces from Al Fatah! These RMS flags were produced to support Suaidi
Marasabessy's suggestion of RMS being the cause of conflict through a "Christians
separatists movement", and to be smuggled into Christians areas, especially in
Ambon and Central Maluku. Although KA Ralahalu was able to end this Al Fatah's
disgrace effort and silenced Marasabessy, the allegation on RMS remains. Army
Headquarters (Genaral Wiranto) then set up a special team called "team of 19",
consisted of high rank Malukan army personnel and police officers lead by Suaidi
Marasabessy. The main task of the team was to gather the information on the conflict
and come up with a conclusion and recommendation that might be used to stop the
unrest. This team was then dismissed with no result as expected. It might have found
the main cause of the conflict but appeared to be something unfavorable to Jakarta.
This suspicious behavior of Jakarta continued when the XVI Regional Army Command
of Pattimura was restored in Maluku. Despite of his success in restoring order to the
province, Colonel KA. Ralahalu was assumed to be unsuitable for the position of chief
of the restored army command, and was removed from Maluku. He is a Christian
originally from Ambon. The new Regional Army Command was lead by Brigade
General "Max Tamaela", who is also an Ambonese Christian. To be simple, Max
Tamaela was just 'a wrong person in at a wrong place and in a wrong time'. He was
having too much trouble in positioned himself between Maluku and Jakarta. In his time
did "laskar jihad" infiltrated Maluku accusing this Christian General as another
Christian provocateur. The state crime against Maluku continued!
The "laskar jihad"(jihad warrior) is not a group of white dressed swordsmen who
master martial art. It comprises discarded and active army personnel and police
officers, and international terrorists as its core. The rest can be a complementary to
the core, or to serve as a camouflage what "laskar jihad" really is. It can be clearly
seen in pictures or on videotapes how the "army uniforms" was covered by long white
robes while some casualties found in Christians areas were the holders of military
ID's, and foreigners from Pakistan. Some jihad attackers were seen as looked like
'Yasser Arafat' while aptured members of "laskar jihad" were identified as active army
personnel, such as from the 733-Masariku Army Battalion stationed in Ambon, or
from Mobile Brigade Unit (Police) stationed in Jakarta. Some of middle rank police
and an army officers were identified when what so called the "ghost commander of
Wijaya II" was seized by Combined Army Battalion (Yon- Gab in Moslem
neighborhood of Batumerah, Ambon. "Laskar jihad" had often claimed that their
related warrior of 'Mujahidin Maluku' was trained by the veterans from Bosnian, Afghan
and Moro guerillas, while the Malay- sian KMM member who exploded St. Anne
Church and Atrium Plaza in Jakarta had confessed his involvement with "laskar jihad"
in Maluku. The Governor of Maluku and the Authority of Civil Emergency Zone of
Maluku, once flew to Ambon in the same airplane with some illegal foreigners from
Afghanistan, who refused to show their documents to the custom at the Patti- mura
airport in Ambon. They were afterwards picked up by an armed group of "laskar jihad"
that outnumbered the helpless airport security personnel. Governor, "Dr. Saleh
Latuconsina" made his statement on this but has done absolutely nothing about it. It
is well known that even North Maluku had been closed to outsiders by "Muhyi
Effendie", the acting Governor, many international terrorists were seen all over the
place in that new province. So far, none of the deserted army personnel and police
officers have been taken to court (civil emergency or military court) nor have anyone of
these international terrorists been detained. This reveals the criminal connection who
ruined Maluku in the name of National Integrity and that of Allah.
It is worth noted that never in its history did 'Indonesian Council of Ulama' (MUI) had
any of its branches lead by an active Police officers. Prior to the conflict, Malukan
Council of Ulama was chaired by an active Police officer, "R. Hasanussi", who was
caught red handed to pay and bring a group of the "laskar Muhammadiyah" from
Makassar to Ambon. He was supposed to be questioned for as a Chairman of
Malukan Council of Ulama (MUI-Maluku), he legalized "the Center and the Attorney
Team of Bloody Idul Fitri", on January 6, 1999, thirteen days before the unrest
exploded. He managed to escape from the law and by the help of the former Chief of
Regonal Police Force of Maluku, "Firman Gani", he was let loose to Ternate, North
Maluku. Firman Gani was well known to be one of the Regional Police Chiefs in Ma-
luku who leaned to the "laskar jihad's" side! He stopped the process of law against 12
members of "laskar jihad" who were apprehended for carrying military standard
firearms, ammunition and equipment. He was to be held responsible for purposely not
checking on his officers he had sent to their new posts that they turned out to be still
in Ambon helping "laskar jihad" by forming that "ghost commander Wijaya II". Why
have all these facts not yet been brought to justice if they are not linked to the
crooked Govern- ment of Indonesia?
Although it had been prohibited by the President, KH. Abdurahman Wahid, "laskar
jihad" did infiltrated Maluku, due to strong supports from several directions. The
Chairman of Indonesian People Assembly (MPR), Professor Dr. "Amien Rais" was
stood in front of the multitudes of Moslems in a "tab- lich akbar" (a Moslem gathering)
accusing Mr. Wahid and his government for not being serious in ending the conflict in
Maluku. He therefore, gave his support and blessing to the "laskar jihad" to help their
fellow Moslems and to retain the unity of the nation by fighting the "Christian
separatists" in Maluku. The identical encouragement also came from the recent Vice
Pre- sident, "Hamzah Haz", who was also present at the gathering. "Laskar jihad" left
the island of Jawa by passenger boats owned by the National Shipping Company, via
Tanjung Perak harbor in Surabaya, East Jawa. In East Jawa, thousands of "laskar
jihad" members were protected and assisted by Major General "Sudi Silalahi", former
Chief of the Brawijaya Regional Army Command, the former Chief of Regional Police
Force, "Dai Bachtiar", who is recently the Chief of the National Police Force. An
assistant of the Chief Dai Bachtiar, "Edi Darnadi" was also involved in the movement
of "laskar jihad" in East Jawa. It is interesting to note that Edi Darnadi was previously
positioned in the area of Bogor, West Jawa, where the training compounds of "laskar
jihad" are, and in the year of 2001, was appointed to be the Chief of the Regional
Police Force in Maluku. This may be claimed to be a very rare coincident, but the
whole story tells us about a very well designed state crime against Maluku!
Several containers consist of military standard warfare were also shipped to Maluku
through Tanjung Perak Harbour, Surabaya. It might not be any of surprises by now in
knowing that the warfare was also sent under protection both top security officers in
East Jawa. The fact that there is a main Navy Base in Surabaya is also something
not to be overlooked. What had kept this base that quiet? From some unexploded
projectiles thrown to Christian residences were found out to have PINDAD mark on
them, while PINDAD is a special National Army Material Manufacturer, in Bandung,
West Jawa. All of its products are for military use only, and extremely not for sale.
How could these restricted military materials fall into civilian hands may be an
interesting subject to find out, but more importantly, the fact that these kind of
materials have been utilized by "laskar jihad" is a hard evidence about the involvement
of military in the conflict. These containers were once seized by security force at Yos
Soedarso harbor in Ambon, and were supposed to be kept at any secure places such
as the Regional Army Command or in the Navy base. Surprisingly, they were then left
unguarded at harbor yard to be robed back by their illegal owner, "laskar jihad". This
should again, gives us a clear picture about how the state crimes against Maluku
was, is and will be carried out and who are behind all of it all this time! .
Having entered the province, "laskar jihad" paid a special visit to the local authority
and were saluted by the Governor himself and the Chairman of the Legislative Council
of Maluku, "Ety Sahuburua". It was so ridiculous to hear that both of the top rank
Government officials were hoping that "laskar jihad" would strengthen the moral of
their Moslem fellows and facilitate the peaceful condition in Maluku. Even a fool would
be able to see the obvious intention of this "laskar jihad" in infiltrating Maluku with
complete military standard firearms and ammunitions. This peculiar attitude of the two
higher rank government officials also appears in a fact that so far, none of them has
ever touched the term "laskar jihad" in their statements regarding finding the solutions
for the conflict. It will be seen later on that this kind of attitude is very favorable to
Jakarta, that anybody who can demonstrates it will stay longer in his/her position. It is
not to be overlooked, that 'the same wish was stated by Vice President, "Hamzah
Haz" when he welcomed "laskar jihad" at his palace. This surely clarifies why Saleh
Latuconsina and Ety would have to behave correspondingly towards "laskar jihad"!
Screaming out loud about their main goals in coming to Maluku which are to defend
their Moslem brother and sisters, spiritually by performing "dakwah" (Moslem's
preaching and teaching), and to defend them physically and also protecting the unity
of the nation, "laskar jihad" then started to amplify the conflict by carrying out
persistent brutal attacks against Christians. Houses and villages were robbed, looted
and occupied while thousands men, women and children were captured and forced to
deny their faith and embrace Islam. Christian men were forcedly circumcised using a
used and unhygienic razor blade, women were also circumcised (by cutting their
clitoris off) using a kitchen knife, and the children were beaten and left with no food if
they did not show their willingness in learning the Quran. Only after being intensely
protested by the Church did the Civil Emergency Authorities acknowledged the
existence of this inhuman circumstances. Disappointingly, instead of freeing and
protecting these victims the authorities removed them from their homelands while the
criminals were left untouched. Why on earth would "laskar jihad" be untouchable if
they are not playing a role in governmental crooked policies against Maluku?
Ambon, December 20, 2001
JL.
(to be continued)
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