Maluku Police chief loses job

Maluku Police chief loses job

Abdul Khalik and M. Azis Tunny, Jakarta/Ambon

Another head rolled among the police's top brass on Tuesday, as
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar dismissed Maluku Police
chief Brig. Gen. Bambang Sutrisno for failing to prevent clashes
in Ambon.

In a quick succession of rare dismissals of top police chiefs,
Bambang's removal followed the dismissal of South Sulawesi Police
chief Insp. Gen. Jusuf Manggarabani on Monday in the wake of a
public outcry over the assault by officers of student protesters
at the Indonesian Muslim University in Makassar.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paiman announced that
Bambang would be replaced by Brig. Gen. Adityawarman, who
previously was posted at National Police Headquarters.

"A hearing of the Police High Council and the results of a
visit by police chief (Da'i Bachtiar) to Maluku concluded that
Sutrisno would be replaced by Adityawarman, who will be posted to
Maluku next week," Paiman said.

The council, the highest body in the police force evaluating
the performance of officers, found that Bambang had failed to
prevent and contain the conflict, Paiman said.

Maluku has been relatively peaceful for two years, since a
government-sponsored peace accord in 2002 helped end the violence
between Muslims and Christians that began in 1999.

Bambang said that although he had received a telephone call
from Da'i about his dismissal, he was unaware of the reasons
behind the decision.

Residents have criticized the police for failing to prevent
the renewed violence that broke out in Ambon on April 25, when
police escorted a group of demonstrators marking the anniversary
of the separatist organization Republic of South Maluku (RMS).

The organization's annual anniversary is considered sensitive
as most RMS members are Christian, and Muslim residents see their
rallies as intentional provocation.

At least 38 people have died and 238 others have been injured
in Ambon since April 25, many with gunshot wounds. Police are
still investigating reports of snipers believed to have killed
several police officers as well as residents.

Paiman said Bambang's dismissal was only the beginning of an
investigation into whether officers had sided either with Muslims
or Christians during the renewed violence. Security personnel
were known to take sides in the earlier round of violence, which
left at least 6,000 people dead.

Although some observers say the conditions for a full return
to peace in Maluku are not yet in place -- such as the
prosecution of the masterminds of the 1999 violence and the
resolution of outstanding housing issues -- police have so far
focused their investigation in this new spasm of violence on the
RMS and its affiliate organization, the Maluku Sovereignty Front
(FKM).

Paiman said police had questioned 36 people so far about the
violence, including Oly and Cristina Manuputty, the wife and
daughter of FKM leader Alexander Manuputty, who has fled the
country

As of Tuesday, the situation in Ambon seemed to be returning
to normal. Public transportation has begun to operate again,
though routes leading out of Ambon are still blocked off by
police to prevent clashes.

As with the violence in 1999, most people prefer to travel out
of the city by sea, which is considered safer although it takes
longer and is more expensive.