The Jakarta Post, 5 March 2002
Six people reported missing after minor violence in Ambon
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
At least six people were missing after renewed violence, aimed at challenging the
quest for peace in Maluku, broke out on Saturday in Ambon, the province's governor
said on Monday.
Saleh Latuconsina said the security authorities were searching for the six persons
who were reported missing when a group of drunken senior high school children
attacked a joint rally by Muslims and Christians from Maluku Tenggara and East
Seram.
The incident took place in the Waihaong area in Ambon, leaving five people injured
and four motorcycles burned.
It was not immediately clear whether the six people were abducted by the attackers
during the rally, which was held to celebrate the recent peace accord.
However, Saleh said the six people had not returned home after Saturday's violence.
"For sure, there will be an explanation about their whereabouts from us later. But I
don't have any further at the present time," he was quoted by Antara as saying at his
office in Ambon before he flew to Jakarta.
The attack was apparently an attempt to disrupt the peaceful celebrations by Muslims
and Christians, who were marking the peace accord with a parade.
Local authorities, and Muslim and Christian leaders who signed the pact on Feb. 12,
blamed the mayhem on provocateurs. They pledged not to stop their joint efforts to
restore peace in Maluku despite a small group of people who were opposed the
agreement.
A Muslim women's group from the Baguala area in Ambon was among those rejecting
the 11-point agreement. They visited the gubernatorial office on Monday to express
their rejection.
Saleh expressed amazement over the protest by the women's group, which he
claimed contradicted its earlier stance on Friday.
"At the time when they were asked whether they accepted the accord, they say 'yes'.
But today (Monday), they came and said they were against it. How could they change
their minds so easily?" he added.
In response to the opposition, the governor said that local community members could
adopt such a stance as the outcome of the pact was still being disseminated to all
people in the province.
But they must not provoke others to do the same. Otherwise they would come up
against the security forces, warned Saleh, who also serves as the head of the Maluku
civil emergency authority.
"I say once more, don't ever try to provoke people to destabilize the security situation
after the Malino agreement. The government will take repressive measures against
troublemakers based on the prevailing laws," he said.
Meanwhile, Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. Mustopo said that between 400
and 500 firearms were still in the hands of the once-warring Muslims and Christians in
Maluku.
"That's my estimate because 164 firearms have been handed over so far, some of
them police weapons that were lost in Tantui village," he told Antara on Monday.
Since last Friday, local people have been urged to voluntarily surrender their sharp
weapons to the authorities. The police are due to begin arms searches on April 1.
As efforts got underway to disseminate information on the agreement in churches,
mosques and other places, people from both communities paraded through Ambon in
celebratory mood last week until Saturday's minor disturbance.
More unrest is feared as long as the masterminds behind the incident remain at large
in Maluku.
However, the recent challenge failed to prevent people from both sides from continuing
to mend fences and promote peace after three years of religious warfare.
Life returned to normal in Ambon on Monday with Christians and Muslims able to
mingle freely in the streets and other public places.
The religious violence began in Ambon on Jan. 19, 1999, as a minor clash that quickly
spread to other islands in Maluku and North Maluku, leaving some 6,000 people dead
and forcing 500,000 others to flee their homes.
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