Maluku, Poso remain `unsettled'

Maluku, Poso remain `unsettled'

Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon/Jakarta

Security authorities will continue to disarm civilians in Maluku
and Poso in anticipation of the 2004 general election and the
planned gubernatorial election in Maluku.

Pattimura Military Commander Maj. Gen. Agus Tadi said in Ambon
on Saturday that despite the 15-month-old agreement to end the
three-year-old conflict between Muslims and Christians, the
situation in the province was still a cause for concern because
many civilians still possessed arms and explosives that they had
either made themselves or stolen from security personnel.

"Despite the calm situation, many people, especially former
militiamen, presumably possess homemade and conventional arms and
explosives that could be used should the situation turn tense in
the future," he said at a media conference here on Saturday.

Agustadi, also chief of the operation to restore security and
order in the province, said that searches for arms would be
conducted in anticipation of the next gubernatorial election and
the 53rd anniversary of banned South Maluku Republic (RMS)
separatist movement on April 24.

"The two events could revive the conflict because the
situation in the province has yet to be brought fully under
control," he said.

The government has postponed the gubernatorial election
indefinitely because, despite the peace agreement, the situation
in the province has yet to fully return to normal. Herman
Sarundayang has been appointed the acting governor to replace
Saleh Latuconsina, whose term of office ended last December.

Gubernatorial succession was one of factors that caused the
conflict to erupt on Jan. 19, 1999. The conflict, which
claimed more than 6,000 Muslim and Christian lives and displaced
more than 750,000 people, ended with a peace agreement signed by
the two conflicting factions in Malino, South Sulawesi, in
February 2002.

The separatist movement's reappearance in 2000 prolonged the
conflict as several RMS figures were arrested and later brought
to court.

"Like previous years, RMS supporters are expected to raise the
RMS flag to mark the celebration their organization's
anniversary," said Agustadi.

He added that security authorities had yet to recover more
than 500 rifles and guns stolen by militiamen of the two former
conflicting groups from military arsenals during the conflict.

Brig. Gen. Taufik Ridha, chief of the Central Sulawesi Police,
said in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi, that the situation
in Poso was still fragile since many people still possessed
homemade arms and explosives.

"Security authorities will continue to conduct the operation
to restore security and order in the regency and to encourage all
refugees to go back to their home villages," he said.

He said security needed to be enhanced so that the 2004
general election could be secured.

He added that the security restoration operation that was
backed by the local military would continue, while the task force
representing the former conflicting parties was still evaluating
the implementation of the Malino peace agreement for Poso signed
on Dec. 20, 2001.

He called on the task force to complete its main mission to
encourage reconciliation among the conflicting groups in the
regency so that people taking refuge outside the regency would
return home.

"Many refugees have declined to go back home because
reconciliation has yet to be conducted in their home villages,"
he said.