Governor links Laskar Jihad to Soya attack<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Ambon<\/p>\n
Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina intimated that the Laskar Jihad
\nparamilitary fighters, whose presence in Maluku is apparently
\nsupported by many Muslims who reside in Maluku, was closely
\nlinked with the deadly attack in Soya Village on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\"The Soya tragedy had to do with the provocation by the
\nchairman of an extreme group who addressed a mass gathering held
\na day before the incident,\" he said after meeting with a central
\ngovernment delegation at his office here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He was referring to Laskar Jihad Chairman Djafar Umar Thalib,
\na Java-based Muslim extremist, who delivered his address at an
\nillegal rally at the Al-Fatah Mosque in the city last Friday,
\nonly two days before the bloody attack.<\/p>\n
During that rally, he and his followers lambasted the security
\nauthorities for failing to prevent the separatist group, the
\nSouth Maluku Republic's (RMS) supporters from raising the RMS
\nflag, and called for a \"people's war\" as well as a holy war
\nagainst the separatist movement, who are mostly Christians
\noriginally from Maluku.<\/p>\n
There is no concrete evidence as yet to link Laskar Jihad to
\nthe massacre, but several witnesses claimed that they were
\nresponsible. In addition to the 14 deaths and dozens injured, one
\nof the oldest churches in Asia was destroyed.<\/p>\n
The governor said he and other local officials discussed, with
\nthe central government delegation, the two recent problems --the
\nSoya attack and RMS' celebration on April 25 -- and on the
\nnecessary actions that would be taken against the two \"extremist
\ngroups\".<\/p>\n
\"We are now facing two major problems, namely the RMS and
\nanother radical group. We have arrested RMS Chairman Alex
\nManuputty and 17 RMS supporters who put their flags up. Then we
\ndiscussed what actions would be taken against the radical group
\nwhich was allegedly involved in the Soya tragedy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Latuconsina admitted that the security authorities were
\nreluctant to arrest Djafar due to fears of a violent reaction
\nfrom them, a strong indication of the weakness of the law
\nenforcement under the current state of civil emergency.<\/p>\n
\"The law has been enforced but all decisions made under the
\nstate of civil emergency have yet to be fully executed,\" he said,
\nbut quickly claimed that this did not mean that the civilian
\nadministration was ineffective.<\/p>\n
The authorities continue to remain silent on whether or not to
\nexpel Laskar Jihad from the province.<\/p>\n
Latuconsina was speechless when asked about the necessity of
\nreplacing the chief of the military command and that of the
\nProvincial Police to create better cooperation and effectiveness,
\nas had been suggested by some.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri has ordered the Maluku
\nauthorities to strictly enforce the law, instead of requesting
\nmartial law which could result in more suffering.<\/p>\n
She also warned authorities to act sternly against those
\nresponsible for the Soya massacre, and that any government
\nofficial who did not comply with all the decisions under the
\nstate of civil emergency would be replaced.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Jakarta, Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) Chairman Hasyim
\nMuzadi urged the President to get tough with all troublemakers,
\nespecially the pro-independence Maluku Sovereignty Forum (FKM)
\nand Laskar Jihad.<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists after meeting Megawati on Wednesday at
\nher official residence, Hasyim said that it was vital for top
\nsecurity officials in Maluku to use their authority to secure the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
\"I told the President that tough measures must be taken
\nagainst Laskar Jihad and the separatist movements...there should
\nbe no discrimination in facing those groups,\" Hasyim said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/governor-links-laskar-jihad-to-soya-attack-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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