ADEKSI to hold national meeting

AMBON, Maluku: The Association of Regional Legislative Councils (ADEKSI) is slated to hold a five-day meeting in the Maluku capital of Ambon to discuss the implementation of Law No. 22/1999 on regional autonomy.

The meeting is set to start on Wednesday, and will be attended by some 250 councillors from across the country.

Lucky Wattimury, the chairman of ADEKSI, said the meeting was being held in Maluku to illustrate to the public and to investors that Maluku had returned to normal and was safe.

Sectarian conflict broke out in Maluku in 1999 and raged for three years. Thousands of people lost their lives and thousands of others took refuge in other provinces.

Peace returned to Maluku after warring parties agreed to bury the hatchet through the Malino Peace Accord, which was signed last year.

Lucky said that Maluku Governor Albert Karel Rahalalu was set to kick off the meeting. -- Antara