Intelligence chief visits Ambon, violence rages

Intelligence chief visits Ambon, violence rages

AMBON, Maluku (JP): Indonesian Military (TNI) Intelligence
chief Air Vice Marshall Ian Santoso Perdanakusuma visited Ambon
on Tuesday amid more carnage which left at least 23 people dead
in Waai village.

The intelligence chief attended a two-hour briefing on the
latest situation and the handling of unrest in Maluku.

"I'm here to coordinate technical assistance with the executor
of the civil emergency in Maluku. As an intelligence officer, I'm
not supposed to speak too much. My duty is to gather
information," Ian told journalists.

"The result of this meeting will be directly reported to the
TNI commander. Basically, BAIS (TNI's Strategic Intelligence
Agency) is ready to support the executor of the civil emergency,"
Ian added.

Also present at the meeting were Maluku Governor Saleh
Latuconsina, Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. I Made Yasa,
Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Firman Gani, Ambon Naval Base
commander Col. Didi Setiadi and other related officials.

But as top civilian and military officials compared notes,
violence raged in Waai village, 28 kilometers south of Ambon, on
Tuesday morning.

Governor Latuconsina later visited the village, much of which
was already gutted.

The is the second such attack on the village in a month. At
least 22 were killed when the village was attacked on July 6.

There were reports that residents of the village were chased
and attacked by people in military uniforms.

Witnesses said the number of dead is likely higher than the
reported 23 as there were another 10 reported in the village.

Pattimura Military chief I Made Yasa would not elaborate
further on the incident, saying only that he was still gathering
information about it.

As a result of the raid, a planned meeting between grassroots
leaders from warring camps and Governor Latuconsina failed to
take place on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, in Ambon, about 40 kiosks at Lama market on Jl. Yos
Sudarso were gutted by fire on Tuesday morning, following
commotion in the area.

Speaking about the question of refugees from Maluku fleeing to
neighboring Irian Jaya, Governor Latuconsina said officials were
making sure everything could be done so they would be accepted.

"The Irian Jaya administration is willing to accept them and,
hopefully, none of them will be rejected or treated like goods
that can be easily moved around," Latuconsina said.

In Numbay Port, Jayapura, about 800 refugees who were earlier
refused entry into the port were finally allowed to disembark
from KM Dobonsolo.

Locals had earlier feared that by allowing these refugees to
enter the province, the violence in Maluku would infiltrate into
Irian Jaya.

The refugees were taken to nearby churches for temporary
shelter.

"We do hope that the refugees will stay calm and avoid
possible conflict," Irian Jaya deputy governor Abraham O. Atururi
said.(49/34/edt)