Ambon and Poso on alert ahead of Xmas celebration

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.