3,000 personnel deployed for gubernatorial election

Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon, Maluku

The Maluku civil emergency administration has prepared 3,000 police and military personnel to maintain security and order prior to the gubernatorial election, in anticipation of renewed violence triggered by the sectarian conflict that has devastated the province over the last three and a half years.

Spokesman for the Maluku Police Adj. Sr. Comr. Max Alfons told The Jakarta Post here on Friday that security authorities have decided to deploy a large number of security personnel in case certain groups attempt to use the gubernatorial election to create havoc.

"The 3,000 are two-thirds of the total number of security personnel deployed to support the civilian emergency imposed in July, 2002, to restore security and order following the conflict," he said.

He said the police would also launch a security operation named Mutiara 2003 to create a conducive situation before and after the gubernatorial election.

The provincial legislative council is to hold a plenary session on Monday to set the timetable for the gubernatorial election, from nominations, the formulating of electoral regulations, election day to the installation of the new governor.

The gubernatorial election should have been held last September to replace Governor Saleh Latuconsina, whose term of office had ended, but was postponed following a series of violent incidents and blasts.

In the interim period the central government appointed Sinyo Herman Sarundayang as acting governor.

Certain groups who opposed the Malino peace agreement signed in February 2002 and those supporting the outlawed South Maluku Republic (RMS) separatist movement and Maluku Sovereignty Forum (FKM) were allegedly behind the violent incidents.

More than 6,000 people have been killed and 750,000 others displaced since the sectarian conflict erupted on Jan. 19, 1999.

The conflict has been triggered by the presence of people who are not native to Sulawesi in the bureaucracy, their domination in the province's economy and the New Order government-sanctioned election of Saleh Latuconsina, a Muslim, as governor.

Before the arrival of migrant workers from South Sulawesi in the province, the majority of the people were Christians.