Maluku probe team told to listen to the people<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A non-governmental group working to find a comprehensive solution
\nto religious conflicts in Ambon urged the government-sanctioned
\ninvestigative team to listen to people's aspirations if it wanted
\nto succeed.<\/p>\n
\"We all have the same aim, that is to end the Maluku conflict.
\nThe team should open itself to inputs from other groups that have
\nbeen involved in finding ways to resolve the problems,\"
\ncoordinator of grassroots peace movement Baku Bae Maluku Ichsan
\nMalik said here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Ichsan said the national team should be put under the people's
\ncontrol to ensure the reliability of its results as it will
\naffect Jakarta's next policy on Maluku, which has mostly employed
\nmilitary approaches since the conflict started in 1999.<\/p>\n
Baku Bae submitted to the government in August 2000 its
\nanalysis of the root cause of the conflict, which highlighted the
\nexploitation of religious issues by both civilian politicians and
\nmilitary personnel.<\/p>\n
\"As of now, the government has not given any response to the
\nanalysis. Instead, it set up an investigative team charged with
\ndubious tasks,\" he added.<\/p>\n
According to Ichsan, the situation in Ambon had worsened
\nbecause of the tendency of Maluku people to rebel against
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
\"And worse still, there is distortion of information on the
\nfacts of the conflict,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The government announced earlier this month the establishment
\nof an investigative team to probe human rights violations in the
\nconflicts that had claimed more than 5,000 innocent lives.<\/p>\n
The team, most of whose 14 members are civil servants, is
\nparticularly tasked with unraveling the first incident that
\nsparked the conflict, several issues on separatism movements, and
\nthe existence of organized Muslim and Christian fighters, as well
\nas other cases of violation and crimes against humanity.<\/p>\n
Amiruddin al Rahab from the Institute for Policy Research and
\nAdvocacy (Elsam) said the rationale for appointing a Balinese
\nHindu as the team leader was misleading because it indicated the
\nproblem would again be blamed on religion.<\/p>\n
\"Locals put faith in the team to help them end the tiring
\nconflicts. But, please, don't expect too much. I assume this team
\nis nothing more than advisers to the coordinating minister's
\noffice specializing in Maluku issues, as it has not been given
\naccess to information from any institution and will only report
\nto the coordinating minister office,\" he noted.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/maluku-probe-team-told-to-listen-to-the-people-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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