Maluku bans foreigners for 'security reasons'<\/p>\n
Oktovianus Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Ambon<\/p>\n
The Maluku civil emergency authorities (PDSDM) have selectively
\nbanned foreigners from visiting the war-torn islands for
\n\"security reasons\" ahead of local separatist leaders' plans to
\nraise a secessionist flag later this month.<\/p>\n
Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina, who also serves as chief of
\nthe civil emergency authorities, announced on Thursday that the
\nislands are now closed to most foreign visitors, especially
\noverseas journalists and non-governmental activists based in
\nIndonesia, until April 30, 2002.<\/p>\n
\"The ban also includes foreign media correspondents or others
\nwho have already been staying in Indonesia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He added that the decision, however, was not effective for
\nforeign government officials, who wanted to travel to Maluku on
\nstate duties.<\/p>\n
Latuconsina claimed that the travel ban was aimed at
\npreventing a security problem for foreign visitors as the Maluku
\nSovereignty Front (FKM) was planning to hoist its separatist flag
\non April 25 to celebrate the movement's anniversary.<\/p>\n
The decision was outlined under a PDSDM Decree No. 1025\/2002,
\nwhich was dated April 10.<\/p>\n
It was not clear why it was just made public on Thursday, a
\nday after the provincial police arrested FKM leader Alex
\nManuputty and seized three flag poles standing in front of his
\nhouse.<\/p>\n
Latuconsina said the decree was issued on the basis of the
\noutcome of a meeting between the Maluku security authorities and
\nsenior officials from the central government on April 9 in Ambon.<\/p>\n
He said that based on an intelligence report, many foreigners
\nwere expected to visit Maluku, possibly with ulterior motives,
\nduring the planned separatist celebration.<\/p>\n
The governor also said the detention of Alex was related to
\nhis plan to fly a separatist flag during the event. \"The move
\nviolates the ban issued by the Maluku civil emergency authorities
\nand sparked disquiet among local people,\" he argued.<\/p>\n
Asked about the legal basis to ban the planned hoisting of
\nseparatist flag in Ambon, while similar flags have been allowed
\nto fly in the rebellious province of Aceh, he merely said: \"The
\ncivil emergency authorities have the right to confiscate, summon,
\narrest, detain or raid anybody found defying the regulations.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Soenarko D.A. said a
\njoint team of police and military were developing the
\ninvestigation into the separatist case against Alex.<\/p>\n
However, he did not say whether the detained separatist leader
\nhad been charged with any offense yet.<\/p>\n
Alex was picked up by dozens of armed policemen wearing
\nbulletproof vests at his home in Ambon on Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n
The arrest sparked a protest by dozens of FKM supporters
\noutside the local police station on Wednesday. However, there
\nwere no reports of more demonstrations against his detention.<\/p>\n
National religious leaders, who concluded a two-day peace
\nmission in Ambon on Wednesday, urged the government to use Apr.
\n25 as the right time to crush FKM activists campaigning for the
\nindependent South Maluku Republic (RMS).<\/p>\n
Ambonese loyal to Dutch colonial rule declared the RMS in 1950
\nand staged a revolt against the newly-independent Republic of
\nIndonesia. The rebellion was finally quashed, but RMS activists,
\nmainly in the Netherlands, launched a campaign for international
\nrecognition.<\/p>\n
The Maluku islands have also been the scene of a three-year
\nsectarian conflict that has left some 6,000 dead and a trail of
\ndestruction.<\/p>\n
Local Muslim and Christian leaders signed a peace accord on
\nFeb. 12 to end the bloodshed, but problems remain. The RMS is one
\nof the groups staunchly opposing the pact.<\/p>",
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