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.