3,000 personnel deployed for gubernatorial election

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.