Maluku protesters occupy airport on Ternate Island

Maluku protesters occupy airport on Ternate Island

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of protesters occupied the airport on
Ternate island, north Maluku, on Thursday to demand the immediate
division of the province, a witness said.

Ternate Airport security guard Sadikin said over 100 students
and locals thronged the tiny airport's apron for about three
hours on Thursday morning, delaying the departure of a private
airplane hired by a gold mining company.

"They sat on the apron, and the Pelita airplane could not
depart until security personnel dispersed the crowds peacefully,"
Sadikin told The Jakarta Post. The protesters also rallied
outside a nearby government office.

Antara reported thousands of people continued to parade around
Ternate to press the demand for a partition of the province,
where hundreds died in sporadic religious clashes earlier this
year.

A group of students also rallied at Governor Saleh
Latuconsina's office in the Maluku capital of Ambon. Watched by
troops, students representing the Forum for Malolu Kie Raha
People's Aspiration (FAMMKR) demanded Saleh provide a progress
report on the plan to separate the territory into two provinces.

After an acrimonious exchange, local government employees
allowed 10 of the students to meet Saleh in his office.

The governor told the students to refrain from pushing the
issue because the plan was still being devised.

"Never resort to actions which pose a threat to both the
government or national unity," Saleh said. He was apparently
referring to students in Ternate who prevented government
officials from working.

In Jakarta, a delegation of Ternate and Halmahera people met
the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Abdul Gafur,
to demand the legislative body push through the immediate
realization of the plan.

Director General for Public Administration and Regional
Autonomy Ryaas Rasyid attributed the tension in Ternate to the
government's recent decision to postpone the plan to divide the
province.

"They are angered by the government's decision to delay the
plan until after the general election," Ryaas told the Post. The
plan was put on hold due to fears it could disrupt the country's
preparations for the June 7 polls.

Ryaas reiterated that the division of Maluku into two
provinces and Irian Jaya into three provinces was urgently needed
because of their large area.

"It has been very difficult for provincial government
officials to reach remote places in the provinces," he said.

The Sukarno government announced plans to divide Maluku into
two provinces in 1964, but the plan was not realized.

The bill on the separation of Maluku into North Maluku and
Southeast Maluku will be submitted to the House of
Representatives for deliberation next week.

Ryaas dismissed speculation that the separation plan for
Maluku was triggered by the religious conflict and protests by
locals over civil service recruitment which benefited migrants.

"The plan is in line with the enactment of 1999 laws on
regional autonomy and financial balance, all of which are aimed
at giving more chance for the people of Maluku and Irian Jaya to
develop," Ryaas said.

Political expert Mochtar Pabottingi supported the plan and
said its delay would only burden the government.(48/das/rms)