Students, officials discuss latest situation in Maluku<\/p>\n
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Students of state Pattimura University and
\nthe civil emergency authorities on Friday held a dialog to
\ndiscuss the latest situation in the province.<\/p>\n
University rector Mus Huliselan, Maluku Police chief Brig.
\nGen. Firman Gani, the Pattimura Military Command's territorial
\naffairs chief Col. Santosa and the intelligence assistant to the
\nMaluku Prosecutor's Office J. Pattirajawane met with some 300
\nstudents who demanded real peace and an end to the sporadic
\nconflicts in the islands.<\/p>\n
"I disagree with the constant repressive measures being taken
\nin Maluku when what we need is more intensive communications with
\nthe grassroots.<\/p>\n
"We have to be firm but at the same time the people have to be
\nstrong and not easily provoked. No matter how many troops are
\ndeployed in the area ... it will not solve things as long as
\nthere is no willingness on the part of the locals to jointly end
\nthe conflict and reject outside intervention," Firman said.<\/p>\n
The general was referring to the latest unrest in the Seram
\nislands during a visit by the Minister of Regional Infrastructure
\nand Settlement and foreign envoys on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
"The pattern is always like this: calm in one area, in this
\ncase the Ambon islands, but then unrest breaks out in another
\npart of the islands and then troop reinforcements are
\ndeployed ... it's a vicious circle," Firman said.<\/p>\n
The latest attack took place on the predominantly Christian
\nAlang Asaude village in Piru district in the Seram islands, with
\nthe village being raided by armed assailants around 7 a.m. on
\nWednesday, killing three local residents and severely injuring
\nanother.<\/p>\n
"The village was assaulted from three directions, namely by
\nsea, land and along mountain tracks," Piru Police subprecinct
\nchief Second Insp. Adolf Baroma said on Friday.<\/p>\n
Most of the houses in the village were gutted by fire.<\/p>\n
Wednesday's attack was the third on the village since full-
\nscale conflict first broke out on Jan. 19, 1999.<\/p>\n
Some 18 soldiers from the 731st\/Kabaresi Infantry Battalion
\nwho were guarding the village were faced by heavily armed
\nassailants who launched the raid using standard issue weapons,
\ncivil emergency administration spokesman John Tomasoa told The
\nJakarta Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
"The attackers were reportedly members of Lasykar Jihad. It is
\nterrible that these people keep on provoking unrest and looking
\nfor the chance to create chaos," Tomasoa said by phone from
\nAmbon.<\/p>\n
The troops ended up evacuating the residents to Piru town,
\nPiru district while awaiting the arrival of reinforcements.<\/p>\n
Later on Wednesday afternoon, a joint platoon made up of
\nreinforcement troops and the troops who were originally guarding
\nthe village chased away the attackers and conducted a sweeping
\noperation in the area.<\/p>\n
The authorities seized a speedboat belonging to the
\nassailants.<\/p>\n
"As from today (Friday), the village will be occupied by
\ntroops to prevent the attackers from taking control of it,"
\nTomasoa added.<\/p>\n
Some local residents were also saved by passing troops on
\nFriday after hiding in the jungle when the raid took place.<\/p>\n
Gen. Firman further said that a combination of repressive
\nmeasures and the building up of the people's awareness would be
\nmuch more effective in handling the conflict.<\/p>\n
"It's too soon to hope that the Maluku people can forget the
\ntragedy, but they will have to make peace with each other.<\/p>\n
"The central government's consistency in its policy towards
\noutsiders creating chaos in Maluku must also be made clear as it
\nwill make it easier for the law enforcers to take firm action
\nagainst such groups," he added. (edt\/49)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/students-officials-discuss-latest-situation-in-maluku-1447893297",
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