Maluku tense but quiet on eve of RMS anniversary<\/p>\n
Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Despite the fears of unrest on the eve of the South Maluku
\nRepublic's (RMS) secessionist anniversary on April 25, war-torn
\nMaluku, particularly the provincial capital of Ambon, was
\nreportedly calm on Wednesday after an apparent brawl resulted in
\none death and serious injuries to three security personnel in
\nMasohi, Central Maluku Regency on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"The city appears to be normal today and there have been no
\nincidents reported so far. The market was busy this morning and
\npeople were on the streets as usual,\" AFP reported after speaking
\nwith Father Jonas, from the Roman Catholic Church in Ambon on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Jemmy, a telephone stall owner, in Ambon, told The Jakarta
\nPost that despite the absence of violence, the city remained
\ntense because most people were fearing fresh violence in
\nconjunction with RMS's anniversary and the police and military's
\nstepped up security.<\/p>\n
\"Most people are still traumatized by the three years of
\nbloody conflict (between rival Muslims and Christians) and we're
\nnow facing another problem with RMS supporters,\" he said.<\/p>\n
North Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina in his capacity as
\nchief commander under the state of civil emergency, has taken a
\nseries of measures to impress upon the people that his office
\nwould take a hard line against the revived separatist movement.<\/p>\n
Latuconsina, who heads the civil emergency authority set up in
\nMaluku in September 2000 as a result of the sectarian conflict,
\nhas extended a nightly curfew by three hours, closed the province
\nto foreigners and non-governmental organizations and imposed a
\nnews blackout on RMS activities for 20 days as of April 10.<\/p>\n
Latuconsina has also issued a ban on entering the houses or
\ntheir yards in the residential area around the arrested
\nindependence leader Alex Manuputty's residence in Kuda Mati
\nSubdistrict in the city.<\/p>\n
The ban, effective on Wednesday and to expire on Saturday, was
\ntaken, \"in the framework of anticipating the hoisting of the
\nseparatist flag of the South Maluku Republic on April 25,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
RMS supporters have planned to hoist their flag to mark their
\nanniversary but Maluku authorities have warned them against doing
\nso because it was against the law.<\/p>\n
The local police have detained Manuputty and accused him of
\ntreason for inspiring his followers to raise the RMS flag.<\/p>\n
Since his arrest, some 200 Manuputty supporters have held
\ndaily protests outside police headquarters in Ambon to demand his
\nrelease. They have also said they plan to go ahead with the flag-
\nraising ceremony.<\/p>\n
RMS supporters, mostly Christian, were believed to have
\nworsened the sectarian conflict that erupted in January 1999.<\/p>\n
Muslims have accused the predominantly Christian RMS of
\nfanning sectarian violence that has ravaged Maluku since January
\n1999, killing more than 6,000 people, displacing more than
\n750,000 others, and leaving a swath of destruction.<\/p>\n
Christians accuse Laskar Jihad, a Java-based militia group
\nwhich has sent thousands of Muslim fighters to the eastern
\nislands since May 2000, of playing a major part in fanning the
\nviolence.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Amien Rais, chairman of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly, lashed out at the planned hoisting of the RMS flag,
\nsaying it was against the law because there could be no state
\nwithin a state.<\/p>\n
\"The planned hoisting of the RMS flag must be prohibited.
\nShould they (RMS supporters) go ahead with the plan tomorrow it
\nmust be prosecuted in accordance with the law,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, he was speechless when asked why the security
\nauthorities did not prohibit the separatist movements in Aceh and
\nIrian Jaya from raising their own flags.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/maluku-tense-but-quiet-on-eve-of-rms-anniversary-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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