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.