Violence defies civil emergency<\/p>\n
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Gunfire and explosions were the sounds of
\nthe day here on Tuesday, defying a state of civil emergency
\nimposed across Maluku hours earlier.<\/p>\n
Blood tainted the soil of what were once known as the spice
\nislands as a security officer was killed and two civilians
\ninjured from gunshots, bringing the death toll in a week of
\nviolence to 66. Overnight clashes left 13 people, including five
\nsecurity officers, dead.<\/p>\n
Pvt. Ongen Sihasale was shot in the head by a sniper in the
\nTanah Lapang Kecil area of the disputed Talake subdistrict about
\n5 p.m. local time on Tuesday, and died en route to Dr. Haulussy
\nGeneral Hospital.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, a housewife, identified only as Mrs.
\nPieters, and an employee named Raymond Frans also suffered
\ngunshot wounds from sniper attacks. They are being treated at the
\nprivate Bakti Rahayu Hospital.<\/p>\n
Hundreds others have been injured, mostly from bullets and
\nbomb shrapnel over the past week following clashes in the Ambon
\nareas of Batugantung, Talake, Ahuru and Sirimau and the Nania and
\nBaguala subdistricts on the outskirts of the town. Thousands of
\npeople have sought refuge in several police stations and Halong
\nNaval base, six kilometers east of here.<\/p>\n
The arrival of a heavy downpour saw a temporary cessation of
\nTuesday's fights.<\/p>\n
In accordance with Jakarta's policy, Maluku Governor Saleh
\nLatuconsina officially declared a state of civil emergency in
\nMaluku, taking effect at 00:00 a.m. on Tuesday after a meeting at
\nthe headquarters of 733rd Masariku Airborne Battalion later in
\nthe day.<\/p>\n
Present at the announcement of Gubernatorial Decree No.
\n1\/6\/2000 on the civil emergency were the new Pattimura Military
\nchief Col. I Made Yasa, Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Firman
\nGani, provincial legislature speaker Zeth Sahuburua, head of the
\nprovincial prosecutors office TH Panggabean and chief of the
\nNavy's Eastern Fleet Security Operation Commodore Sumarjono.<\/p>\n
Under the state of civil emergency, the local governor is
\nempowered to take wide measures to stem the violence, including
\nordering the military to make sweeping raids, ban meetings and
\nput areas off limits to the public.<\/p>\n
\"A curfew has been set from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and the
\nemergency status also prohibits a gathering of more than 10
\npeople without a clear reason,\" Firman told reporters in a post-
\nmeeting conference.<\/p>\n
The government has ruled out any outside military intervention
\nto cope with the worsening bloodbath. Foreign minister Alwi
\nShihab, who was in Kuala Lumpur, told Associated Press on Tuesday
\nIndonesia would hold firm in rejecting any military assistance
\nfrom the United Nations or any member of the Association of
\nSoutheast Asian Nations.<\/p>\n
Yasa, who took over from Brig. Gen. Max Tamaela on Monday,
\nsaid he had called on all military personnel to report to their
\nrespective units.<\/p>\n
\"I order all personnel who have been separated (from their
\nunits) to regroup immediately or at least report to the nearest
\nsecurity station,\" Yasa said shortly after his appointment late
\non Monday.<\/p>\n
He said he gave troops at large until June 30 to report their
\nwhereabouts.<\/p>\n
Both warring camps in Maluku have accused individuals in the
\nmilitary and police of taking sides and being involved in the
\nsectarian conflict.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said security officers were involved in Monday's
\nincidents, which lead to the deaths of Second Sgt. Lasano of the
\nArmy's air defense unit and four unidentified soldiers. Dozens of
\nsedatives were found in Lasano's pocket.<\/p>\n
Firman, who was former commander of the elite Police Mobile
\nBrigade (Brimob), said that security forces would closely monitor
\nthe movements of intruders on the islands.<\/p>\n
\"We will continue the massive sweeping operation in
\ncoordination with existing military units,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Firman took over from Brig. Gen. I Dewa Astika in a modest and
\nabrupt ceremony at Astika's official residence in the Mangga Dua
\narea in the early hours of Tuesday. The ceremony took place
\nduring a power blackout, forcing them to conduct the ceremony by
\ncandlelight. It was originally scheduled to take place on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, thousands of residents started to leave the islands
\non Tuesday, mostly aboard the KM Dobonsolo, Merpati airliners and
\nHercules military planes.<\/p>\n
People here were also seen thronging the markets and shops to
\nstock up on food supplies, while the town also saw kerosene and
\ngasoline shortages.<\/p>\n
Several security posts were abandoned by troops and roadblocks
\nwere set up in almost every corner of the town.(49\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/violence-defies-civil-emergency-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}