Djoko vows to end Maluku's military-police conflict
Djoko vows to end Maluku's military-police conflict
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak and Oktovianus Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta
Newly appointed Chief of the Security Restoration Operations
Command in Maluku Maj. Gen. Djoko Santoso vowed on Thursday that
last month's Kudamati incident would be the last conflict between
military and police deployed in the troubled region.
"I'm determined to make it (the incident) the last conflict.
Therefore, I expect all parties to understand each other's role
(in the Maluku civil emergency administration)," Djoko said, as
quoted by Antara before attending the ceremony for the handover
of the post of Army chief of staff from Gen. Endriartono Sutarto
to Lt. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu.
The incident in Kudamati, Ambon, centered around the tug-of-
war between Army's Special Force (Kopassus) soldiers and
policemen in the investigation of provocateurs suspected of
triggering violent attacks in the conflict-ridden province.
The rivalry then led to shootings on May 13 and May 14 that
injured soldiers and policemen.
Many have stated that the incident was proof of the lack of
coordination within the emergency administration, in which the
security institutions had failed to defer to the civilian
authorities.
To strengthen coordination, Djoko, who also heads the
Pattimura Regional Military Command, said he held a regular
coordination meeting with Governor Saleh Latuconsina and Maluku
Police chief Brig. Gen. Soenarko to discuss measures to be taken
to restore security and order in the province.
Separately in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, National Police
chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said a clear job description was
necessary for the military and police in performing their
respective tasks in the province.
Da'i also said that the prosecution of Laskar Jihad commander
Ja'far Umar Thalib, who is suspected of provoking a clash in
Maluku in April, was now in the hands of state prosecutors.
Meanwhile, similar provocation allegations against former
Udayana Military commander and senior executive of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Theo Syafei are
still being investigated, he said.
Also, Governor Latuconsina expressed hope that the upcoming
visit of Vice President Hamzah Haz on June 11 would help
expedite the process to resolve the conflict in Maluku.
The provocation complaints against Theo were reported by
Laskar Jihad to the National Police last month, with Theo being
accused of having delivered provocative speeches in Maluku.