Cabinet urged to solve Maluku conflict<\/p>\n
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Governor of Maluku Saleh Latuconsina said
\nin Ambon on Friday that he hoped President Megawati's newly named
\nCabinet would be able to achieve a comprehensive settlement of
\nthe prolonged conflict in the province.<\/p>\n
Asked to comment on the fresh Cabinet without any minister
\ncoming from Maluku, the governor, concurrently the region's civil
\nemergency administrator, said that the important thing was that
\nthe Cabinet must be serious in solving the over-two years of
\ncommunal clashes in Maluku.<\/p>\n
\"The handling of the Maluku issue should be one of the
\nCabinet's main agendas for speedy implementation. Otherwise, the
\nprotracted conflict will cause suffering to local people, while
\nthe number of displaced people has reached hundreds of
\nthousands,\" he stressed.<\/p>\n
In a separate interview in the Central Java capital of
\nSemarang, Eko Budiharjo, chairman of the Rectors' Forum,
\ntold The Jakarta Post that Mega's cabinet was commendable in
\nspite of its shortcomings.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the fact that several New Order figures were
\nincluded in the Cabinet, Eko, who is rector of Semarang's
\nDiponegoro University, said that people should think positively.
\n\"Let's work together,\" he urged.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, he expressed surprise at Matori being appointed
\ndefense minister because, in his view, the ousted PKB chief was
\nnot suited for this office.<\/p>\n
The presence of Matori as minister of defense in the new
\nlineup, also called the Gotong Royong (mutual help) cabinet,
\ninvited strong reaction and pessimism among non-government
\norganization circles and civil society forces critical of the
\nIndonesian military (TNI).<\/p>\n
The same response came from the National Awakening Party
\n(PKB), to which Matori had originally belonged. \"His presence
\nmore represents the TNI's political interests. He is in no way
\ndelegated by PKB nor by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU),\" said deputy
\nsecretary-general of the PKB central board, Chatibul Umam Wiranu,
\nin Purwokerto, Central Java.<\/p>\n
The PKB, founded by senior NU figures -- including former
\npresident Abdurrahman Wahid -- recently dismissed Matori as party
\ncentral board chairman following his alleged violation of the
\nparty's policy by remaining in the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR) as vice speaker despite the PKB's withdrawal.<\/p>\n
Director of the Institute for Studies of Information and
\nDemocracy (INSIDE) Ahmad Rofik, joined in the chorus, saying that
\nMatori's appointment as defense minister reflected military
\ninterests.<\/p>\n
\"In this position Matori will surely build an authoritarian
\nimage for Megawati's leadership. His political orientation is
\nsolely pragmatic, thus posing a risk to Mega,\" Rofik pointed out.
\n(49\/45\/arp)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cabinet-urged-to-solve-maluku-conflict-1447893297",
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