'It's impossible to bring total peace in Malukus'

'It's impossible to bring total peace in Malukus'

AMBON, Maluku (JP): Noting the complexity of interests and
security problems in the Maluku provinces, those responsible for
keeping the peace there said it would be next to impossible to
establish "a zero violence" situation in the troubled region.

Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. I Made Yasa and Maluku
Police chief Brig. Gen. Firman Gani, who both oversee security
affairs in Maluku and North Maluku provinces, recently talked to
The Jakarta Post concerning the latest situation in the territory
which has been the scene of over two years of bloody conflict.

"Basically we are wary about the fragile calm in Maluku. Many
contributing factors are involved here, from the social-cultural
character of Maluku people who are known to have hot tempers to
the fact that there are complex security problems and that
distrust among all elements of society runs high," Firman Gani
said.

He cited the high level of the illegal possession of weapons
and presence of outsiders such as Lasykar Jihad as adding to the
problems.

"The conflict in Maluku has not been handled properly by the
government and has been allowed to roll on like a giant
snowball," he said.

The people's distrust of each other ran high, with both
Muslims and Christians being involved in a killing spree, Firman
added.

"They are losing faith that the central government will help
them to end this.. and at the same time many security forces'
personnel are also involved in the conflict because, basically,
the Maluku conflict affects all Indonesians. The police chief,
the military commander, the governor.. all of us are emotionally
involved in the conflict," he said.

Over two years of bloody communal violence in the Maluku
provinces has resulted in almost total devastation for the more
than 2 million people living in the ravaged territory.

Before the conflict, the total population of Maluku and North
Maluku provinces was around 2.4 million. Around 8,000 people have
been killed and some 230,000 others have ended up as refugees,
not only in the Maluku provinces but also in other provinces.

Little progress has been made since the declaration of a state
of civil emergency on June 27, 2000, except for some reduction in
tension in North Maluku province.

Sporadic violence and rogue shootings, however, are still the
order of the day in parts of Ambon and Seram islands in Maluku
province.

Yasa asserted that the geographical conditions of the Maluku
provinces, the large number of illegal weapons in circulation and
the presence of "recalcitrant squads" stirring up chaos were all
contributing factors leading to the conclusion that "violence
cannot be suppressed to the zero-level in Maluku."

"Ambon and Seram islands are relatively strategic, so that
intruders and assailants can easily reach the other areas, and it
is quite easy to obtain or to make any type of weaponry here," he
explained.

Yasa cited the incident that occurred shortly before the
declaration of the civil emergency last year when the police
arsenal in Tantui was looted by rioters on June 23, 2000.

Both Yasa and Firman agreed that the key to solving the Maluku
problem was to reduce the involvement of rogue members of the
security forces during conflicts.

"Effective and firm measures by the Joint Battalion drawn from
the three elite military forces and regular rotations of duty
must be imposed," Yasa said.

"In this situation we do not need evidence. All we need are
indications that a soldier or police officer is partial. Then
we'll get rid of him. So far, I have transferred 600 police
officers, dishonorably discharged 16 and imposed sanctions on 87
others," Firman asserted.

Yasa said that the Joint Intelligence Unit, comprising members
of Kopassus, Paskhas and Marines, would be pulled out of Maluku
in early March.

"Probably TNI headquarters have other plans. After that we
will have to rely on the local intelligence unit. Let's hope that
no disturbances break out," he said.

Firman further said that the security approach in the area
must go hand in hand with the economic and social rehabilitation
of the provinces.

"Building houses may not be appropriate yet as the most
important thing at the moment is to restore their economic life.
That is the only way they will forget about the conflicts," he
said. (Edith Hartanto)