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.