Police question men from Maluku, East Timor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Tanjung Priok port police in North Jakarta
\ndetained 113 new arrivals for questioning on Friday for
\npossession of sharp weapons and suspicion of intending to cause
\npublic disorder.<\/p>\n
Seaport police chief Lt. Col. Edward Aritonang identified 13
\nof the men as residents of riot-torn Maluku and the other 100 as
\nEast Timorese residing in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara. The men
\nwere arrested as they disembarked from two intra-island motor
\nvessels.<\/p>\n
The first 13 men, suspected to have one or two sharp weapons
\nin their possession, were passengers of M.V. Lombelo, which
\narrived at the port at 3 a.m. from Maluku, he said.<\/p>\n
Although the group was still undergoing questioning, Aritonang
\nadmitted that preliminary questioning failed to confirm the
\ninitial police suspicions.<\/p>\n
\"We could not find any solid evidence so far that they came
\nhere to cause trouble. But they are still detained for further
\nquestioning,\" Aritonang said.<\/p>\n
The 100 others were hastily stopped by officers from passing
\nthrough the port gate immediately after they disembarked from
\nM.V. Dobonsolo, a regularly scheduled motor vessel which serves
\nroutes to and from Jakarta and several ports in the eastern part
\nof the country, including Kupang.<\/p>\n
The vessel arrived Friday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Aritonang said the security officers stopped the East Timorese
\nbecause they feared the men intended to cause disturbances in the
\ncity.<\/p>\n
\"We were worried that they might have come here on purpose to
\nmake trouble. So, I contacted the Jakarta Police chief (Maj. Gen.
\nNoegroho Djajoesman) to come by,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
After questioning, the East Timorese, who allegedly did not
\npay for tickets on the vessel, were finally allowed to enter the
\ncity.<\/p>\n
Dozens of police and armed military personnel were deployed at
\nthe seaport and on board the vessels minutes before the ships
\ndocked.<\/p>\n
The authorities are afraid that the deadly sectarian clashes
\nwhich began in Maluku a year ago and flared this week in Lombok,
\nWest Nusa Tenggara, could spread to the capital through the
\nactions of provocateurs.<\/p>\n
Noegroho met with the 100 East Timorese and asked them why
\nthey traveled to Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Some explained that they wanted to report violations allegedly
\ncommitted by the Australian-led International Force for East
\nTimor (Interfet) to the office of the National Commission on
\nHuman Rights.<\/p>\n
\"If that is the case, then please go ahead. You have every
\nright to (report), but you have to promise me that you people
\nwill not create trouble here,\" Noegroho told them.<\/p>\n
He earlier said that he would do his utmost to prevent
\nsectarian unrest in the capital.<\/p>\n
\"I have commanded my officers to arrest any provocateurs who
\nmight want to cause a breach of the peace in my capital. There
\nshould be no fights on any issue here.\" (ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-question-men-from-maluku-east-timor-1447893297",
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