Calm returns to Maluku, claims government

Calm returns to Maluku, claims government

JAKARTA (JP): The government claimed on Thursday to have
restored order in riot-torn Maluku and was now considering
reconstruction and reconciliation there.

Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Gen.
Wiranto said certain security measures, including an isolation of
the sea surrounding the islands, remained in place to prevent a
new outbreak of violence.

"The present situation out there is considered conducive to
start rehabilitation and reconciliation, although physical and
nonphysical isolations are still needed," Wiranto said after a
meeting on Maluku, which was presided over by Vice President
Megawati Soekarnoputri.

A number of Cabinet ministers, Indonesian Military (TNI)
Commander Adm. Widodo Adisucipto, National Police chief Lt. Gen.
Roedihardjo and leaders of religious and social organizations
also attended the meeting.

Megawati has been assigned by President Abdurrahman Wahid to
seek a solution to the year-long sectarian clashes which have
raged across Maluku.

Outside the vice presidential palace on Jl. Merdeka Selatan,
where the meeting was held, some 300 activists of the Defenders
of Islam (FPI) staged a fresh rally to demand the government
immediately settle the Maluku upheaval and that Megawati return
to Maluku to initiate the efforts.

Dozens of riot police kept the demonstrators from the vice
presidential office.

Wiranto said reconstruction projects of mosques and churches,
which were either attacked or burned during the conflict, would
top the priority of the rehabilitation program.

"There should be no more scenes of burned mosques and
churches. It is sad to see that," he said.

Wiranto said the situation in Maluku had gradually calmed,
thanks to the heavy presence of security personnel. A total of 15
battalions of reinforcement military troops and two battalions of
the National Police's Mobile Brigade have been sent to the
restive territory to help the local security authorities stop the
violence.

Wiranto said order had returned, although not completely, to
Tobelo and Galela in North Maluku, where hundreds were reportedly
killed in a wave of clashes recently. The neighboring town of
Jailolo remained tense, but Wiranto promised peace would be
restored soon.

He denied media reports that communal clashes had spread to
Morotai island, which abuts the Philippines.

"In fact there has been no conflict there. Everything is okay
based on our field observations," he said.

Wiranto said the government would seclude Maluku from the
media which was feared to fish in troubled waters for certain
political interests. He did not elaborate on whether a media
blackout would be imposed in Maluku.

Earlier in the day, Widodo, fresh from his trip to Maluku,
admitted that several minor clashes had occurred, despite the
presence of security troops.

"The neutral stance displayed by military personnel in the
field has helped prevent further conflicts," Widodo said after an
Idul Fitri celebration at TNI Headquarters in East Jakarta.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno Sudarto called on people in
Maluku to cooperate with the security personnel to cope with the
protracted conflict.

Also speaking during the occasion, chief of the Army's Special
Force (Kopassus) Maj. Gen. Syharir MS denied reports that his
troops took part in the TNI operation in Maluku, let alone
mastermind the conflict there.

"Kopassus troops are all at their headquarters and they are
focusing on how to improve their professionalism. But we are
ready for any deployment to Maluku," Syahrir said.

Separately, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and
Poverty Eradication Basri Hasanuddin announced an international
humanitarian mission to Maluku which would be jointly organized
by his office and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

An initial meeting, which was attended by 23 donor countries,
seven UN agencies, the European Union, the International
Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of
the Red Cross, to discuss the aid arrangement was held on
Thursday.

Basri said a team would gather reports and information about
the latest conditions in Maluku and North Maluku provinces to
assess the needs of people there. (01/emf)