Maluku provincial legislators reject martial law

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A delegation of legislators and community leaders from Maluku commenced a road show in Jakarta on Monday voicing strong rejection to the implementation of martial law in Maluku province.

"Ask the Maluku people, don't ask the leaders in Jakarta. We know the real situation. Implementation of martial law will only mean killing the Maluku people. We open no room for martial law," said Maluku Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD) speaker Lucky Wattimury during a meeting with House Commission I for security affairs here.

Lucky was responding to conflicting ideas floating in Jakarta about the possibility of imposing martial law in the territory following the carnage in the village of Soya on April 28 that claimed at least 12 lives.

The province has been torn by conflict among Christians and Muslims since 1999 and the Soya incident has put the Feb. 12 Malino peace accord in jeopardy.

The delegation of 35 legislators, including four community leaders and Ambon Mayor M. J. Papilaya was received by deputy chairpersons of the commission Isaac Latuconsina and Astrid Susanto, and legislators Paulus Widiyanto and Arif Mudatsir.

Astrid, who was among the politicians that agreed with the implementation of martial law defended her opinion saying that she feared there would be further casualties in the conflict.

"I am concerned about the possible increase of casualties. This is a dilemma for us," she said.

Astrid said she was suspicious that there might be a third party who played a key role in the conflict that would explain why the violence continues.

Lucky Wattimury urged the government to evaluate the two-year implementation of a civil emergency in Maluku.

According to him, with the presence of about 10,000 police and military troops in Ambon, peace and order should have been able to be maintained in the city.

He said that Ambon comprises three sub-districts and 50 villages. If the conflict-prone area is estimated to reach two- thirds of the 50 villages, the number of security personnel should have been sufficient to restore order.

"This is totally weird," Lucky said.

A. Polpoke, chairman of Ambon's chapter of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), viewed the inability of security forces to reveal the perpetrators as a conspiracy.

He said that people in Ambon were in need of security and order, therefore the current civil emergency status should be revoked.

Bishop of Ambon diocese P.C. Mandagi said that the people of Ambon were convinced that peace and order had to return to their homeland. They do not want a civil emergency or martial law.

Responding to their demand, Isaac Latuconsina said that legislators in Jakarta felt the same way. "It has become a major question for us why the security forces are unable to end the conflict," he said.

After meeting the legislators, the delegation of Ambon leaders are scheduled to meet President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Vice President Hamzah Haz, House leaders, Assembly leaders, senior ministers, the military chief and the police chief.