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)