High-powered delegation to assess Maluku conflict

High-powered delegation to assess Maluku conflict

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A high-powered ministerial, military and police delegation is
scheduled to visit Maluku next week to seek an end to the
prolonged sectarian violence plaguing the province.

Included on the three-day peace mission from Jan. 21 are
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister for Investment and
Economy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro Djakti and Coordinating Minister for
People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla.

The ministers would be accompanies by Indonesian Military
Commander Adm. Widodo A.S., National Police Chief Gen. Da'i
Bachtiar and National Information Bureau chief A.M.
Hendropriyono.

Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina said in Jakarta on Thursday
that the trip was a follow-up to their recent meeting with Maluku
officials in Jakarta.

"The (delegation) will assess the situation amid the state of
civilian emergency imposed since July 27, 2001."

Latuconsina said that during their stay in the province, the
delegation would assess the possibility of seeking a solution to
the conflict, as they had done in Poso, Central Sulawesi.

"All sides must support efforts made by the government to
solve the three-year conflict that has brought suffering to the
local people," he said.

If it gained support from the two conflicting factions of
Muslims and Christians, the government should also include
conflicting groups from Sulawesi, Java and Sumatra who were
linked to the conflict, Latuconsina said.

"Such a policy will likely raise the prospect that there are
certain sides who don't want the situation in the province
resolved peacefully but this should not necessarily raise
pessimism among those who want to end the conflict.

"The government will take strict action against those
violating any peaceful agreement the two conflicting factions
will make," he said.

Latuconsina said the situation in Ambon was still tense and,
therefore, the state emergency should be maintained on the island
even though many other areas in the province were returning to
normal.

The last incident on the island occurred last Sunday when a
group of gunmen attacked Rutong Village in Sirimau Subdistrict,
leaving a villager dead and two others injured.