Govt close Maluku to outsiders

Govt close Maluku to outsiders

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid announced on Friday
a travel ban to the riot-torn provinces of Maluku and North
Maluku due to accusations that outsiders, especially from
Jakarta, are fanning the sectarian violence there.

In a public dialogue after Friday prayers at the
Al-Munawaroh Mosque near his private residence in Ciganjur, South
Jakarta, the President said he had ordered the Indonesian
Military (TNI) to conduct gun sweeping operations in the two
provinces.

He said the decision to isolate the region was taken on
Wednesday after he had met with Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri, TNI chief Admiral Widodo A.S., National Police
chief Gen. Rusdihardjo and chief of the Intelligence Coordination
Board (Bakin) Lt. Gen. (ret.) Arie J. Kumaat.

"We have decided to ban outsiders from entering Maluku because
of evidence that they are the source of the chaos," Abdurrahman
said.

The President's statement came on a day that saw at least 20
people die and dozens of others wounded in wide-scale violence in
the Maluku capital of Ambon, bringing the number of fatalities to
26 since Thursday.

Two people were killed in Tantui, while 13 others died after
hundreds of armed people raided and destroyed offices in the
Takale area in the center of Ambon.

Also in Takale, mobs exchanged gunfire and fought with swords
and spears. Other people set fire to the Indonesian Christian
University (UKI), parts of the post and telecommunication offices
and state-owned telecommunication company PT Telkom, a church, a
Muhammadiyah senior high school and dozens of homes.

Around 2 p.m local time, rioters occupied the local police
headquarters in Ambon and on Lease islands in the Perigi Lima
area. Security forces eventually managed to disperse them.

Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. I Dewa Astika said on Friday
that rioters had also broken into the police's ammunition
warehouse in Tantui and burned a housing compound occupied by
around 2,000 police members and their families.

Besides guns, they also took away dozens of Police Mobile
Brigade (Brimob) uniforms, he said.

"This is dangerous because rioters can now disguise themselves
(in police uniforms).

Hundreds of Laskar Jihad members have arrived in Maluku since
May, shrugging off Abdurrahman's repeated warnings about
traveling to the province.

Acting Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and
Security Lt. Gen. (ret) Surjadi Soedirdja has told the group to
withdraw its volunteers because their presence was contributing
to the violence in the two provinces.

Laskar Jihad leaders, however, have insisted their unarmed
members were desperately needed to help the government stop the
bloodshed.

Laskar Jihad Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah chief Jafar Umar Thalib
recently vowed to send at least 3,000 more volunteers.

"The massacres continue because they cannot be controlled and
because we are unable to stop them," the President said in
response to a question raised by one of those attending the
dialog, Ujang, who urged a halt in the butchering of innocent
people in Maluku.

While refusing to identify suspects, Abdurrahman claimed he
had a list of "pro-statusquo" people from Jakarta who were
funding the warring groups in Maluku because they were upset at
losing the privileges they enjoyed in the days before the reform
era.

Abdurrahman warned the masterminds against continuing with
their actions.

"Your time is already up. You have gone too far. Be careful if
we lose our patience," the President said.

Abdurrahman's proposal to isolate Maluku quickly gained
support from the country's largest Muslim organization, Nadhlatul
Ulama (NU), and the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI).

Speaking to The Jakarta Post on Friday, NU chairman Hasyim
Muzadi and his MUI counterpart Amidhan said the isolation of the
province would prevent agitators from entering.

"The seclusion of the provinces will prevent provocation and
turmoil from outside," Hasyim said.

He said NU's civilian Banser guards would be allowed to go to
the provinces upon the government's approval.

Hasyim said the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) and the
Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI) had also asked the NU to send
troops during their meeting on Thursday.

He was convinced the civilian guards would remain impartial
and be firm against both Muslims and Christians.

Amidhan backed up the government's plan to remove the Laskar
Jihad force from the two provinces.

"The military and national police must ensure that there will
be no more attacks, from both sides," Amidhan noted.

Meanwhile, TNI spokesman Rear Marshall Graito Usodo said the
military would intensify its sea and land patrols.

"All sea ports will be tightly restricted and put under our
supervision. However, this does not mean that we will close down
the ports," he said.

The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
proposed tougher action by asking the government to apply a state
of civil emergency in Ambon.

"The emergency law could be applied soon in Maluku, especially
in Ambon," said Heri Akhmadi, an executive of the party.
(48/49/edt/jun/dja/prb)

Editorial -- Page 4