Human rights body starts inquiry into Maluku strife
AMBON, Maluku (JP): A National Commission on Human Rights fact-finding team started on Friday their inquiry into the year- long sectarian violence across Maluku.
The team of four, comprising Bambang W. Suharto, Maj. Gen. (ret) Syamsuddin, BN Marbun and Soegiri, held a closed-door meeting with 24 representatives of Muslim and Christian communities, locally called Tim Peduli Maluku.
No details were available on the content of the first of a series of meetings arranged by the inquiry team.
Spokesman for the Muslim group Amir Latuconsina and his Christian counterpart Jack Manuputty told reporters afterward that they believed the prolonged riot was orchestrated by a political conspiracy.
The team demanded that the government be transparent in uncovering the cause of the bloodshed as well as who masterminded the unrest.
"We want the conspiracy to be revealed to the public," Amir said.
Commission members met with Maluku Military Commander Brig. Gen. Max Tamaela, Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. I Dewa Astika and Governor Saleh Latuconsina on Thursday evening at the latter's residence.
Tamaela said he took the inquiry team through riot-hit areas on their 40-kilometer trip from Pattimura Airport to Ambon.
"I made them take a close look at the recent situation in Ambon. They told me they were surprised to find no signs of chaos," Tamaela said.
Tamaela said Bambang was complaining about the way media in Jakarta had covered the communal clashes.
Another fact-finding team comprising House of Representatives legislators is expected to arrive here on Saturday.
Despite Tamaela's claim that the situation in Ambon was now under control, fresh violence erupted on Thursday when a mob killed a man for unknown reasons on Jl. Sultan Hairun.
Reliable sources said that the victim was identified as Muchtar Adam, alias Abutar, 42.
Military troops blocked the road following the killing as people were seen gathering in groups. Bomb blasts and gunshots were heard around the nearby Waihaong area, a resident said.
Tamaela said on Friday three people were detained in connection to the fatal assault.
Minor clashes were also reported in the North Maluku districts of Sosopu and Jailolo on Ternate island on Friday. Local Defenders of Islam (FPI) leader, Wahdah Zainal Iman, said 15 people were injured by shots from arrows and homemade rifles in the fray in Sosopu that erupted just after dusk.
Prior to the arrival of Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri in Ternate on Monday, calm had apparently returned to the predominantly Muslim island, which has now become a safe haven for Muslim refugees from neighboring areas. The refugees are taking shelter in vacant houses deserted by Christians, while some are staying in government offices and even a movie theater.
Shops along the main thoroughfare of the small town have also resumed business.
Provocateurs
In Jakarta, a Maluku reconciliatory team member, Tamrin Amla Tomagola, dropped his allegations that youth activist Yorris Raweyai and a former government official in Jayapura, Buce Sarpara, masterminded the year-long conflict.
Tamrin admitted that he implicated the two people without checking the validity of the information he received from "the number two person in Maluku".
"I've called Buce, he is in Jakarta now, and asked for forgiveness," he told journalists at the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) office.
Tamrin, a sociologist who was raised in Halmahera, accused the two, along with the Sultan of Ternate and former Ambon mayor Col. Dicky Wattimena, of fomenting the bloodshed.
Yorris has planned to file a lawsuit against Tamrin, and so has Sultan of Ternate Mudaffar Syah.
"I regret the way the media published the accusation without contacting me for confirmation. I will cooperate with Yorris in suing Thamrin," Mudaffar said in Jakarta on Friday.
Meanwhile in Semarang, Central Java Police chief Maj. Gen. Nurfaizi said the security forces would not hesitate to shoot rioters or anyone who wished to cause unrest in the province.
In another related development, Muslims in Central Java called for unity and peace among people. In a statement signed by noted Muslim organizations here, including the Nahdlatul Ulama, the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) and Muhammadiyah, the group supported stern actions against provocateurs and rioters.
In Surabaya, Maluku Muslims and Christian community leaders rallied on Friday, demanding the government to announce soon the names of provocateurs in the protracted communal conflict, which has claimed over 2,000 lives.
"We also support the military and police in taking firm measures against any attempted unrest," Sam Abede Pareno, the group spokesman, said in a meeting with East Java Governor Imam Utomo.
In Yogyakarta, more than 3,000 Muslims gathered on Friday in a mass Tablig Akbar prayer, which was called to express deep concern over the ongoing sectarian conflict in Maluku.
The Jihad Registration post here has so far registered over 2,000 local Muslims who declared themselves ready to go to Maluku for a jihad. It has also collected about Rp 21 million, of which Rp 14 million has been sent to help refugees in Ternate. (01/04/49/sur/har/nur/swa/edt/emf)