Governor warns of need to manage conflict

Governor warns of need to manage conflict

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan

North Sumatra Governor T. Rizal Nurdin warned locals and
authorities of potential conflicts that could erupt if certain
problems were not handled cautiously.

"All sides, including the police and the military, need to
anticipate and take proper action to identify all potential
conflicts and prevent problems from erupting, because once they
explode, North Sumatra could become a hotbed of conflicting
social groups," he told The Jakarta Post after presiding over a
meeting with the provincial legislative council and security
authorities to discuss social problems threatening the province.

Nurdin noted that the presence of Free Aceh Movement (GAM)
rebels in the province due to authorities' intensive search in
Aceh had posed a security threat to North Sumatra.

"A number of Aceh fighters have been killed in the province.
Last week, two Aceh rebels were killed and several others were
arrested in Tanjung Tiram, Asahan, and last month two rebels who
had bombed public facilities in the city were shot. Another
potential flash point is the government's approval for the
resumption of the much-criticized PT Indorayon in Porsea under
the new name of PT Toba Lebak Lestari," he said.

He also said that friction between the Asahan regent and his
deputy over developing Batubara as a regency and the minimum wage
issue could disrupt political stability in the province.

Nurdin said that the situation in the province was not stable
because of the potential for conflict and authorities during the
meeting decided to boost security in the province as a result of
the Oct. 12 deadly bomb blast in Bali.

He said both the police and the military had been ordered to
increase security along the province's borders with Aceh to
prevent rebels from coming into the province.

"We are not anxious about them (rebels) hiding in the
province, but it becomes a problem if they disrupt security or
attack strategic assets or crowded places," he said.

The chief of the security operations center at police
headquarters, Sr. Comr. D.U. Sitohang, agreed and said the police
had deployed several antiterror groups at all strategic areas
prone to disturbances and conflict.

"The antiterror groups have also been deployed to help
maintain peace and order as we approach the holy fasting month,
Idul Fitri holidays and Christmas," he said, adding that the
action was taken in light of the bomb blasts and discovery of
explosives in churches in Medan on Christmas eve in 2001.

He also called on locals to stay vigilant to avoid being a
target during any type of conflict as well as to pass along any
information to authorities.