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