Maluku conflict needs specific touch: Graito<\/p>\n
BOGOR, West Java (JP): The widespread conflict in Maluku is
\n\"specific and needs significant handling\" compared to unrest in
\nAceh and in Central Kalimantan, a military officer said.<\/p>\n
\"The case in Maluku is far different from those in other parts
\nof the country since it involves religious matters,\" Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI) spokesman Air Rear Marshall Graito Usodo told a
\nsession on journalism in conflict areas here.<\/p>\n
He also insisted that the demand for withdrawal of security
\nforces from Maluku did not make any sense.<\/p>\n
\"The troops are badly needed since in many cases minority
\ngroups are prone to attack despite the presence of security
\nguards. So we couldn't just leave them to be slain,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Imagine if public facilities such as ports and airports were
\nalso left unguarded. If rioters occupy those strategic places,
\nthe economy and other activities in Maluku would be paralyzed. So
\nit's impossible to pull back all troops from the islands.\"<\/p>\n
TNI troops have been gradually scaled down from the previous
\n17 battalions to only 12, Graito added.<\/p>\n
He admitted there have been glitches in the security handling
\nof the conflict in Maluku.<\/p>\n
\"The failure lies in the fact that we do not have sufficient
\nresources and transportation for the soldiers to move faster in
\nquelling the riots.<\/p>\n
\"We often have to charter speedboats from locals and this has
\ncertainly slowed down our movement. Can you imagine 12 troops
\nfacing 500 armed rioters?<\/p>\n
\"Another failure is that there are some troops roaming around
\nand creating chaos outside the chain of command and some even
\njoined the Laskar Jihad warriors,\" he asserted.<\/p>\n
Some achievement, however, has been evident in the fact that
\nthere were only minor, sporadic conflicts in the islands and the
\nsituation has been relatively calm over the past couple of months
\ndue to fast and effective movement of crack troops, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Gun sweeping operations also started to bear fruit in our
\nefforts to curb violence and disarm people,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On the Wijaya II rogue shooting incident, Graito stressed that
\na joint battalion unit comprising three elite military units had
\ncomplied with appropriate procedure in arresting 14 defiant
\nofficers at the Wijaya II hotel in Batu Merah area in down town
\nAmbon on Jan. 21.<\/p>\n
Twelve people were killed while 40 others were injured in the
\nfray.<\/p>\n
\"We regret the civilian casualties in the incident and those
\n(personnel) responsible for the action will be legally
\nprocessed,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The rogue shooting followed three days of violence marking the
\nsecond anniversary of bloody riots in Maluku, which began on Jan.
\n19, 1999.<\/p>\n
Also speaking at the session, chairman of the Commission for
\nMissing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) Munir asserted
\nthat rivalry between police and military was evident in many
\nconflicts across the country.<\/p>\n
Munir cited the recent gunfights between police and military
\nduring a chaotic evacuation of refugees fleeing communal clashes
\nin Sampit and Palangkaraya.<\/p>\n
\"Similar rivalry also took place in Aceh and Maluku. This
\nkind of action must be stopped and I think it's a sign of
\ntransition towards the full separation of police and military.<\/p>\n
\"This matter must be solved at top rank level and not only
\nrely on a resolution among troops,\" Munir stressed. (edt\/49)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/maluku-conflict-needs-specific-touch-graito-1447893297",
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