Govt may impose press restrictions in troubled Maluku

Govt may impose press restrictions in troubled Maluku

JAKARTA (JP): The government urged on Monday for restriction
of the press in Ambon after days of violence despite the civilian
emergency status imposed there.

Speaking after a ministerial meeting on political affairs and
security, government spokesman Brig. Gen. I Wayan Karya told a
media briefing that the restriction would affect any form of
publication and information from or to the riot-torn province of
Maluku and North Maluku.

"Because the press reporting has worsened the situation in
Maluku, all publication and activities dispatching information
from inside or outside the area will be limited. The restriction
will be the responsibility of the civil emergency authorities,"
Wayan said.

The meeting also decided that there will be a special command
for the military regional commander and local police chief in
Maluku to conduct a massive raid and confiscate weapons in the
province.

"Because of some obstacles in confiscating weapons in the
province, there will be a special command from the civil
emergency ruler to conduct a massive raid, which will be assisted
by the military," Wayan said.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Adm. Widodo A.S. said
after the meeting that the Maluku governor's order for warring
camps to surrender their weapons was ineffective.

"There must be action and we must be more forceful. We will
collect all weapons and there will be an intensive raid for
them," Widodo told journalists.

Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono said the implementation
of the state of civil emergency hopefully would not last longer
than two months because there have been signs of improvement in
the province.

"We find the state of civil emergency has helped improve the
situation, but of course there are a few incidents that we cannot
fully control, such as the presence of snipers across the
province," Juwono said.

Meanwhile, Maluku administration spokesman Izaack Semima said
later on Monday that as the chief of civil emergency, the Maluku
governor holds the authority to ban local media that distributes
provocative reports.

"We stick to the decree No. 11/2000 on media roles during the
civil emergency status. We hope that they comply with the rules
and publish objective news. As for outside media, the (ban)
decision will be made in coordination with the central
government.

"But in such a case the governor will first issue a tough
warning to the correspondent of the media organization here. For
now the governor does not want the ban to occur as he is thinking
of the interests of the journalists, too," Izaack said.

Violence

In the latest violence to rock Ambon on Monday, the
predominantly-Christian villages of Poka, Rumahtiga and Wailela,
some 21 kilometers north of Ambon, were raided by gunmen from the
mountainous area of Jasirah Leihitu from three directions at
around 6 p.m. local time.

"We thought that the gunfire came from troops who were
conducting a gun sweeping operation," Rev. Ferry Nahusona of
Sejahtera Poka Church crisis center said.

No immediate confirmation was available.

An earlier attack during the day killed Willem, a local from
disputed Rumahtiga subdistrict.

Two unidentified attackers died in Poka on Sunday, bringing
the death toll in the Poka incident to four and altogether 73
across Ambon since the violence returned in May.

Earlier on Monday, around 9 a.m. local time, gunmen from
predominantly-Muslim Waehaong area and Talake fired shots at
passengers who were about to board KM Dobonsolo in Tanjung
Benteng waters of Nusaniwe district in Teluk Ambon.

A police officer was reportedly injured in the shooting, which
was followed by another shoot-out two hours later initiated by
gunmen aboard the KM Rinjani, heading for Yos Sudarso Port.

Because of the dangerous situation, the Dobonsolo passengers
had to board the vessel from speedboats as the ship could not
dock at the port.

Commenting on the attacks on the ship and port, newly
appointed Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Firman Gani and
Pattimura Military Commander Col. I Made Yasa stated that "the
incident was unexpected" and troops will be posted at the ports
to avoid further incidents.

In response to the unrest in Poka and Rumahtiga areas, Yasa
claimed his personnel had done their best to quell the clashes.

"We were hampered by extensive roadblocks built by locals at
most city intersections. So do not call us military 'airheads'
any more. Who's ruling the streets now?" Yasa said.

The officers along with Governor Saleh Latuconsina at the
headquarters of 733rd Masariku Airborne battalion also announced
the result of a gun sweeping operation which was conducted in
Ambon's Galunggung and Karangpanjang subdistrict on Sunday.

Dozens of automatic rifles such as Madsen 56, MO-50, MK-3
heavy machine gun, a Colt pistol, 30 smoke grenades, hundreds of
hand grenades and tear gas grenades packed in 10 boxes, nine
shields belonging to riot troops, hundreds of K350 mortar shells,
24 assembled guns, 14 mortar launchers, dozens of sharp weapons
and dozens of magazines were seized.

Yasa also renewed his warning for troops at large to come back
to their respective units or nearby posts.

As of late Monday gunfire and explosions were still heard in
Batu Gantung, Kampung Kolam, Diponegoro and Urimesing
subdistricts. (48/49/dja/edt)