Ambon and Poso on alert ahead of Xmas celebration

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Poso in Central Sulawesi and Ambon in Maluku, two areas in the country where religious conflicts have been rife remain calm ahead of Christmas celebrations as the people have been asked to maintain peace and stay alert during the festivities.

Christmas, for the people of Ambon and Poso, as for many Christians in the country, had become a commemoration of sadness and fear, due to the prolonged sectarian clashes in the areas over the past several years.

Muslims and Christians have fought each other in the two restive regions in the name of religion resulting in the loss of thousands of lives.

A local Christian leader in Ambon, Maluku, said on Sunday that the church had called on Christians to restrain themselves and to increase awareness of their surroundings in the coming holiday celebrations.

"We were advised to celebrate Christmas at our own residences. But, the Christmas mass will go on as usual at our churches," Selly Apituley told The Jakarta Post.

Christian communities in Ambon will have Christmas mass on Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

Selly further said that the authorities had beefed up security measures and security officers were seen on the streets since the post fasting Idul Fitri celebration in areas considered prone to conflict.

"The police had also set up security posts near most places of worship around the city."

"Although, Christmas is not the same as it was before the sectarian conflicts, we expect it to be peaceful as was the Idul Fitri celebration," she remarked.

Ambon, a predominant Christian area, was the first city wrecked by sectarian clashes that occurred during Idul Fitri celebrations in January 1999, before spreading to all the islands of Maluku province.

In Poso the police will intensify their patrols around churches starting on Monday morning. The police have assigned officers to safeguard each church for the Christmas celebration, a police officer said.

"So far, the security situation is improving and we will start intensive patrols to safeguard Christmas celebrations on Monday morning. We have also deployed 10 officers for each church along with dozens of others across the city," Poso Police precinct deputy chief Comr. Wahyono told the Post.

He also called on the churches to read out the peace declaration, which was signed by representatives of the warring groups in peace talks recently held in Malino, South Sulawesi.

"We hope the church will help us to make the results of the peace meeting known and at the same time join efforts to maintain peace," Wahyono added.

South Sulawesi Governor HZB Palaguna, who hosted the peace talks and witnessed the signing of the agreement, urged all officials of the Poso regency administration to immediately publicize the cease-fire declaration so that the results of the deal could be implemented at the grassroots level.

"The truce is a big opportunity for the government to stop the bloody clashes," Palaguna said.

The peace talks have resulted in a ten-point peace deal, in which the two sides promised to, among other things, cease all conflicts and disputes; abide by due process of law; request that the state take firm and impartial measures against any violators; reject civil emergency status and interference from foreigners and outsiders and return property to the rightful owners.

The delegates comprised religious and tribal leaders, along with field commanders of militias from each of the two camps.

The two warring groups also agreed to set up two joint commissions soon. One would deal with law and order, the other, social and economic matters.

The Malino Declaration was the outcome of the fifth of such peace talks held by the government. The previous four rounds of talks had failed.