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.