Maluku front to sue govt over separatist charges
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM) will file a suit against the government for branding the Front as a separatist movement and associating it with South Maluku Republic (RMS).
FKM also objects to the government labeling its members as troublemakers in strife-torn Maluku and its efforts to outlaw the movement.
According to the head of FKM's team of lawyers, Christian Rahardjaan, the organization is suing President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, as well as head of the Ambon civil emergency Governor Saleh Latuconsina.
"FKM cannot be associated with RMS as FKM is an organization that only conveys the aspirations of the Maluku people and their dissatisfaction over the government's incapability in solving the conflict in the area," Christian told reporters after visiting his clients Alexander Manuputty and Sammy Waileruni who are under detention at the National Police Headquarters on Tuesday.
Unlike RMS, FKM has never declared itself an independent sovereign country, he added.
Christian, however, did not say when exactly the organization is going to file the lawsuit.
Manuputty, leader of FKM has been detained by Maluku Police for a month on subversion charges which carry a maximum punishment of life in prison according to Article 106 of the Criminal Code.
Both Manuputty and Waileruni were arrested and brought to Jakarta following the detainment of Lasykar Jihad commander Ja'far Umar Thalib mid-last month.
Ja'far is accused of inciting violence that triggered the Soya attack which killed 12 people.
As part of its attempt to solve the prolonged conflict, the government has ordered that FKM and RMS be disbanded and that militant group Laskar Jihad be removed from the province.
Some Ambon based non-governmental organizations as well as the National Moral Movement -- an organization comprising various religious leaders -- said that the conflict in the area which had been going on since 1999 was not purely a religious conflict.
Some have pointed to the involvement of military and police personnel in the conflict, which has worsened the situation.
Following the recent bloodshed at Soya village, the central government reevaluated the effectiveness of the civil emergency government there, and decided to send in more security personnel to help stabilize the area.
Warring factions in Maluku signed a peace deal in February which has proven to be ineffective.
Governor Saleh Latuconsina has complained that the military and police forces refuse to cooperate with the civilian government, thus making efforts to impose law and order even more difficult.