Maluku governor bans FKM activities

Maluku governor bans FKM activities

AMBON, Maluku (JP): Administrator of the civil emergency
status in Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina issued a decree to
ban the activities of the separatist Maluku Sovereignty Front
(FKM) on Monday in a bid to maintain the improving security
situation in the strife-torn province.

Governor Saleh Latuconsina told a press briefing here that the
authorities considers the activities of the organization, carried
out in Maluku and outside the province, hostile and provocative
against the government.

"We are only being vigilant against attempts to create
disorder and disintegration among the people. Our situation here
is improving and the local government do not want to see such a
group tarnish long-term efforts to maintain a conducive security
situation here," he said.

FKM claims to be a political group and has stated their aim to
separate from the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia,
Latuconsina added.

The prohibition included a ban on the hoisting of the group's
flag known as the flag of the South Maluku republic (RMS).

FKM plans to commemorate the unrecognized independence
proclamation of RMS on April 25, during which they intend to
hoist the separatist flag.

The ban on the organization from holding any activities in his
province was endorsed in decree No. 9/PDSDM/IV/2001.

With the issuance of the decree, Latuconsina said subsequent
orders were given for the Maluku Police, military and provincial
prosecutors to act on their task to apprehend and question those
breaching the decree.

When asked to comment on the decision issued by the civil
emergency administrator, FKM chief executive Alex Manuputty
insisted that the front would fight to achieve the goal set by
RMS to win the sovereignty of Maluku people.

"We will fight through diplomacy and lobbying of international
human rights groups, the United Nations and the Senate of the
United States."

Manuputty said his group was widely supported by Maluku people
living in the Netherlands.

Governor Saleh also announced on Monday that the local
authorities had decided to reduce the hours stated in the curfew
imposed on June 1, 2000 (10 p.m. (local time) to 6 a.m.), to
midnight until 5 a.m. daily.

Starting on Monday, nightspots in Ambon, which were closed
down due to intermittent conflicts, were also allowed to open
until 11:30 p.m. (49/emf)