Ambon still tense but violence slows

Ambon still tense but violence slows

The Jakarta Post, Ambon/Jakarta

Religiously divided Ambon returned to a semblance of normalcy in
some areas but tension remained high on Thursday after four days
of bloodletting between Muslims and Christians, which has left at
least 36 people dead and hundreds injured.

In Jakarta, acting Coordinating Minister for Political and
Security Affairs Hari Sabarno said that law enforcement and
security patrols would be intensified to contain the violence.

Public markets in downtown Ambon were open and public
transportation was running as schools resumed classes. Pupils and
students that could not reach their schools, however, were asked
to report to go to the nearest school to their homes.

A daughter of President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Puan Maharani,
visited the Al Fatah Hospital on Thursday and promised to provide
badly needed medicine.

The visit came just one day after a high-powered government
team, including Hari, military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto and
Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar, decided to cut short their visit
and remained at Pattimura Airport, some 35 kilometers outside
Ambon -- instead of going into the city -- due to security
concerns.

Speaking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting in Jakarta on
Thursday, Hari said that imposing a state of civil emergency was
probably unnecessary at this time.

He, however, promised to intensify law enforcement and
security patrols in the province.

Gen. Endriartono, meanwhile, said that he had issued orders
for snipers to be shot on sight. "I have already issued an order
to the provincial military commander. If they find them (snipers)
they should just shoot them," he said.

Agence France-Presse reported Thursday that a young man was
shot in the neck by a sniper in the Tanah Lapang Kecil area near
the governor's office.

Locals rushed the 26-year-old man to Al Fatah hospital where
staff said later he was not in critical condition.

Endriartono said members of the Laskar Jihad militia, which
sent thousands of fighters to Ambon from 2000 to 2002 and vowed
to do so again this week, would not be allowed to return.

"We will take steps so that this (Jihadis from Java joining
the fight) will not take place," he said.

Meanwhile in Jakarta, legislators called for the dismissal of
Maluku police chief Brig. Gen. Bambang Sutrisno for failing to
maintain security in Ambon.

"There must be an evaluation into the performance of the
Maluku police chief because he is accountable for security. If
the performance is poor, he must be dismissed," said Ibrahim
Ambong, chairman of House Commission I for defense and security
affairs, after an internal meeting here on Thursday.

Commission vice chairman Effendi Choirie said that the
evaluation must also target the performance of the Maluku
military chief, the National Police chief as well as the
Indonesian military commander.

They made the statement after hearing a report from a House's
fact-finding team which just returned from Ambon to get first
hand information on the fresh communal conflict in the spice
islands.

Ambong added that the security force must not hesitate to take
harsh measures against people loyal to the South Maluku Republic
(RMS) because they had been campaigning for independence.

Franklin W. Kayhatu who led the fact-finding team to Ambon
said that the Maluku police chief should be held accountable.

He added that the sectarian clashes would likely not spread
outside the city as they did 3 years ago, because the Ambonese
people had understood that they would not benefit from conflict.

The conflict has forced at least 607 people to leave their
homes for refuge at places like the Al-Fatah mosque or the
Waihaong amusement center in Ambon.

Those seeking shelter come from the areas of Trikora, Talake,
Tanah Tinggi, AY Patty and Air Mata Cina.

Some youth organizations, including the Islamic Students
Association (HMI) and the Union of Indonesian Muslim Students
Movement (KAMMI), built humanitarian posts to help the refugees.

The number of refugees could possibly rise because the
conflict had not calmed down.