Separatist flags fly in Maluku<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
At least six people were injured in two explosions and a
\nchurch was torched in Ambon on Thursday putting a two-month old
\npeace-truce between warring Christians and Muslims in limbo.<\/p>\n
Ambon was virtually paralyzed throughout the day as local,
\nmostly Christian separatists fulfilled their vow to fly their
\nflag to commemorate their movement's 52nd anniversary.<\/p>\n
The four-colored South Maluku Republic (RMS) flag -- white,
\nblue, green and dominant red -- fluttered in a number of places
\nincluding in Ambon, nearby Seram, Saparua and Haruku islands.<\/p>\n
About 1,000 Muslims gathered on Jl. A.M. Sangadji and marched
\ntoward the Trikora statue at 9:30 a.m. in protest of the RMS
\nflag-raising. Maluku military commander Brig. Gen. Mustopo came
\nto pacify them as hundreds of Christians came down from the
\nopposite direction waving the same national flag.<\/p>\n
The two groups eventually came face to face. Mustopo appealed
\nto the Christian group to retreat. When they did so a bomb
\nexploded near the Silo church, which was being renovated.<\/p>\n
Security officers fired into the air but just at that moment
\nsome protesters slipped through the security cordons and torched
\nthe church.<\/p>\n
The Christians and the Muslims in the Malukus have been at war
\nsince January 1999. The government imposed civil emergency rule
\nin the province in September 2000. But the sectarian war, which
\nhas cost 6,000 lives and displaced 750,000 others, has gained a
\nseparatist tone in recent months.<\/p>\n
Another explosion was heard at about 11 a.m. in Rijali
\nsubdistrict in Karangpanjang Bawah injuring two civilians R.
\nMolle and N. Aipassa. They are being treated at Bhati Rahayu and
\nGPM hospitals.<\/p>\n
Tension gripped the city since 7 a.m. as Ambon streets were
\npractically deserted. Residents were seen assembling in their
\nrespective neighborhoods. Office workers and school children
\nreadied themselves to go on with their daily activities in the
\nmorning but they soon canceled their plans as there was no public
\ntransportation.<\/p>\n
Tension increased after midday when two clusters of balloons
\nwere released carrying about ten RMS flags coming from the hills
\nin the eastern part of the city.<\/p>\n
Troops atop multi-storied buildings in Urimesing subdistrict
\nfired shots at the balloons eventually hitting one of them.<\/p>\n
RMS supporters had made public their plan to raise their flags
\nin a ceremony in their daily rallies outside police headquarters
\nin Ambon ever since their leader Alex Manuputty was arrested by
\nthe government on April 10.<\/p>\n
The government has closed the province to foreigners and non-
\ngovernmental organizations and imposed a news blackout on RMS
\nactivities for 20 days as of April 10.<\/p>\n
The authorities had secured the leader's neighborhood in Kuda
\nMati subdistrict in Ambon, a spot most likely to be used by his
\nsupporters to hoist the flag.<\/p>\n
But soon after midnight on Thursday, police found the flag
\nbeing hoisted in a number of places including on top of a tree in
\nTelaga Raja hills in Kusu-Kusu Sere village, Sirimau district and
\nat 6 a.m. atop a flag pole in a house on Jl. Pattimura about 50
\nmeters from police headquarters.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere in the province, the flags were also found in
\nBatugajah and Waiyori hills in Passo village, on the Central
\nMaluku island of Seram in Waisarisa village, Jerili village and
\nMasohi city. On Haruku island, the flags were found in Aboru and
\nWasu villages.<\/p>\n
Authorities said a total of 27 people had been nabbed in
\nconnection with Thursday's incidents.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, President Megawati Soekarnoputri issued an order
\nto take necessary security measures in the restive province.<\/p>\n
\"The President ordered us to take stern measures against the
\nrioters, but I cannot tell you what kind of measures she was
\nreferring to,\" Coordinating Minister for Social Welfare Jusuf
\nKalla told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.<\/p>\n
National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on the same
\noccasion that the situation in Ambon had been brought under
\ncontrol and that the burning of the Silo Church had provoked
\nChristians to take revenge.<\/p>\n
When asked whether stern measures included to shoot on sight,
\nDa'i said: \"the order to shoot is in line with procedures to
\nhandle a chaotic situation.\"<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
\nSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono blamed local authorities for their lack
\nof preparedness.<\/p>\n
\"I'm very disappointed. There should have been better
\npreparations in securing the area as there have been clear
\nindications that the separatists wanted to raise the flag while
\nthe Muslim community had said they wouldn't just stand by,\"
\nSusilo told reporters after accompanying the President while she
\nreceived visiting Lao Prime Minister Boun Nhang Voracith.<\/p>\n
He said he had received information from Maluku Governor Saleh
\nLatuconsina of a new provocation from the Muslim community and
\nhad instructed local authorities to take necessary measures to
\nprevent further violence.<\/p>\n
People loyal to Dutch colonial rule declared the existence of
\nRMS in 1950 and staged a revolt against newly-independent
\nIndonesia. The rebellion was quashed and the movement has since
\nbeen active mostly abroad.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/separatist-flags-fly-in-maluku-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}