The Jakarta Post, Feb 20, 2002
Police wants Maluku civil emergency lifted
Yogita Tahilramani and Oktovianus Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Ambon
The National Police have suggested that President Megawati Soekarnoputri lift the
civilian state of emergency in the strife-torn provinces of Maluku and North Maluku.
The state of emergency have been in effect in the two provinces for nearly two years
now.
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Tuesday that a formal request would
be made soon.
"Based on the facts on the ground, the security conditions have improved in North
Maluku, and some places in Maluku are slowly stabilizing," Da'i said at National
Police Headquarters.
Da'i added that police strength was still concentrated in the Maluku capital of Ambon,
which remained tense despite the recent peace pact reached between the warring
Muslim and Christian groups in Malino, South Sulawesi.
"We'll gradually pull back our elite police units to National Police Headquarters, and
replace them with local police officers ... but this can only be done after we are fully
convinced that the security situation has returned to normal," Da'i said.
Sociologist Thamrin Amal Tomagola, who is a North Maluku native, had earlier said
that disarming the warring militant groups in violence-torn Maluku should top the
peace-keeping agenda under the supervision of the Coordinating Minister for Political
and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Thamrin also suggested that Army
Special Forces troops be involved in conducting regular searches for weapons in
Maluku and in the disarming of the militias.
Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Sunarko A.D., set a March 1 deadline on Tuesday for
the militias to surrender their weapons before a massive operation to search for arms
began.
He added that Tuesday's meeting between provincial administration and security
officials resulted in a decision to prohibit the media from printing or broadcasting
information that could incite fresh violence in Maluku.
"If reporters, whether print or broadcast, spread news that incites violence, the matter
will be processed according to the prevailing laws. The police will first issue warnings
... if the offending action continues, then we will summon (the reporter) for
questioning," Sunarko said.
He added that similar action would be taken against military or police personnel
suspected of inciting violence between the Muslim and Christian communities.
"There will be no compromise on this matter, because all sides have suffered enough.
The officer will be reprimanded. If the violation is serious, the officer may also be
dismissed," he said.
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