Civil emergency ends in N. Maluku after three years

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Almost at the same time that President Megawati Soekarnoputri imposed martial law in Aceh to start a war, she issued a decree to end three years of civil emergency in North Maluku.

Presidential Decree No.27/2003 took effect as of May 18, one day before Megawati issued Decree No. 28 to impose martial law in Aceh, Cabinet deputy secretary Erman Rajagukguk told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Decree No. 27 annulled Presidential Decree No. 88/2000, which president Abdurrahman Wahid issued on North Maluku and Maluku in 2000.

Muslim and Christians had been fighting each other for almost three years in both provinces, in a conflict that claimed the lives of some 5,000 people.

Compared to martial law, civilian rulers remain in control under a state of civil emergency.

Both, however, put a lid on civilian rights, with a possibility of curfews and news blackouts.

But now North Maluku has seen a steep drop in the level of violence. A peace agreement signed last year took the province back to normal life.

The government decided to lift the state of emergency last month because of the improved security condition.

Maluku, meanwhile, remains under civil emergency with no plans to lift it any time soon.

The government considers Maluku unsafe as sporadic violence continues, and many weapons remain in civilian hands.