Investigation team on Maluku postponed by Mega's overseas visit
Oktovianus Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Ambon
The central government has formed a national team to investigate the three-year sectarian conflict in Maluku, but the announcement of its members still has to wait for the approval of President Megawati Soekarnoputri who is currently overseas.
Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina said Megawati was expected to sign a presidential decree on the establishment of the National Investigation Team soon after she arrived home in early April.
"The announcement of the team has been postponed because President Megawati is making a state visit abroad. We are waiting until she returns home," Latuconsina told The Jakarta Post in Jakarta on Saturday.
Along with Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. Mustopo, Maluku Police Chief Brig. Gen. Soenarko D.A., local high prosecution office head I Wayan Sunetja, the governor had met with senior officials in Jakarta to discuss law enforcement efforts after February's peace accord.
The senior officials present at the talks were Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, Indonesian Military Commander Adm. Widodo Adisutjipto, National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar and Attorney General M.A. Rahman.
Latuconsina, who also serves as chief of the civil emergency authorities in Maluku, declined however to reveal the names of the government and military officials as well as experts included in the team.
The formation of the investigation team was part of the 11- point pact signed by Muslim and Christian leaders on Feb. 12, 2002 during their two-day talks in the hill resort of Malino, South Sulawesi.
In the accord, both sides agreed to end all conflicts, enforce the law equally, reject separatist movements, accept the presence of migrants, refuse the presence of all militias, including the Java-based Laskar Jihad, form an investigation team, return all the displaced people, rehabilitate all damaged assets with government aid, ask security authorities to remain neutral and normalize education activities at Pattimura University.
The historic agreement was greeted with joint parades by once- warring Muslims and Christians across Ambon for some days. However, minor violence marred the fanfare on several occasions, challenging the quest for full peace in the former troubled province.
Last Thursday, four unexploded home-made timer bombs were found by local trader Ampi Abrahams at his stall on Jl. Tulukabesy in the Mardika area at 9:40 a.m.
The bombs, packed in a bag, were turned on to explode at 1:30 p.m.
Latuconsina further said the local civil emergency authorities had extended the deadline for both factions to voluntarily surrender their weapons.
The deadline would end on March 31, but they had been given an additional two weeks to hand over their guns and other weapons to the authorities, Latuconsina said.
"We have decided to extend the deadline so as to give people a change to be conscious to collect and give up their weapons without sweeps. And if the deadline ends and they still don't want to surrender their weapons, we will take action."
Only 20 firearms and hand guns were surrendered to local security authorities during March. About 200 guns were handed in from 2000.
The surrendered guns were believed to be part of at least 800 firearms and thousands of bullets that were seized by local people when they ransacked the police Mobile Brigade office in the Tantui area in June 2000.
Unrest first broke out in Ambon following a trivial dispute on Jan. 19, 1999, and later spread to other islands in the Malukus. Apart from 6,000 deaths, the conflict has forced more than half a million people to flee their homes.