Megawati offers herself as peacemaker for Ambon unrest

Megawati offers herself as peacemaker for Ambon unrest

JAKARTA (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri promised on Sunday to
invite fellow politicians Amien Rais and Abdurrahman Wahid to
visit Maluku and work to restore peace in the violence-torn
province.

Speaking after a gathering of an estimated 400,000 supporters
of her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
in Yogyakarta on Sunday, Megawati said she has been preparing
concrete measures in case she is asked to mediate in the conflict
between Muslims and Christians in the Spice Islands. "I am ready
to cooperate with Pak Amien and Gus Dur (Abdurrahman Wahid) if
we're asked to bring peace there," she said.

Separately, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Subagyo H.S. hailed
Megawati's offer. He said in Denpasar, Bali, on Sunday that all
citizens, including Megawati, could venture to the provincial
capital Ambon to resolve the communal conflict there.

"As long as they bear the good intention of establishing
reconciliation," he said, as quoted by Antara.

Subagyo dismissed the suggestion that Megawati's offer was an
insult to ABRI as the body responsible for national security.
"Why should we feel like that? Everyone must contribute in the
defense of the country," he said.

Megawati made the offer even as tensions persisted in Ambon,
where at least 22 people were killed in the latest bout of unrest
that erupted last week. The Armed Forces (ABRI) responded by
preparing to send 1,000 reinforcement troops to the region.

Chief of Pattimura military Col. Karel Ralahalu was quoted by
Antara as saying in Ambon that Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen.
Wiranto has agreed to the request for additional highly trained
and well armed troops.

"They will reach here in a short time," Ralahalu said, adding
that a Bell helicopter would also be sent to be used to deploy
troops in remote areas.

Some of the troops will also be deployed to rebuild facilities
that were devastated in the violence that started in Ambon on
Jan. 19 and paralyzed the capital's economy.

More than 140 people have lost their lives and more than 350
others were injured as a result of the religious clashes.
According to official estimates, about 3,360 houses were set on
fire in the weeks of violence, causing about Rp 500 billion
(US$57 million) in material loss.

The bloody riots have also caused thousands of people to be
without drinking water in Ahuru, Karang Panjang, and Rijali
villages.

Antara reported that on Sunday residents were eying each other
with suspicion while homemade bomb explosions and police gunfire
could still be heard at 8:30 p.m. local time.

Some progress was noted on Sunday when the local government
along with Muslim and Christian leaders agreed to set up a joint
coordination post in an attempt to end sporadic rioting which
still rocks some parts of Ambon.

Governor Saleh Latuconsina said: "Respected figures of the two
religions have approved the establishment of the coordination
post to help them process all data on the riots and eliminate
suspicions among the disputing groups."

Latuconsina said the coordinating post would be ready to
operate on Tuesday after necessary equipment, such as a computer
and telephone, were installed.

"I hope the post is already operational by Tuesday after which
there will no longer be other posts like Maranatha for the
Christians and Al Fatah (in the mosque of the same name) for the
Muslims," he said.

Latuconsina said he was too ashamed to answer President B.J.
Habibie's request that he come to Jakarta and explain the
situation in his province.

"I would be ashamed if I were to join religious and community
leaders to meet with the President and explain that things are
now under control, when in fact they're not," he said.

Separately, Minister/State Secretary Akbar Tandjung dismissed
the suggestion that Ambon be put in a state of emergency. He said
the official authorities instead needed to be consistent and firm
in handling the unrest there.

"(The declaration of) a state of civilian emergency would be
an endeavor to bring peace to Ambon, but it cannot be done unless
the situation is such," he said in Medan, the capital of North
Sumatra, on Saturday. "It's not yet time for that."

Meanwhile, Reuters reported from Ambon that about 1,300 people
rushed to flee the city on Sunday amid mounting tensions
following the explosion of a homemade bomb late on Saturday.

A local journalist said there were no immediate reports of
casualties in Saturday night's bomb explosion in the town of
Ahuru. "Many houses, churches and mosques were burnt but we
cannot confirm the numbers yet. The bomb went off during the
burning spree," he said.

More than 1,000 people jammed Ambon's port in an attempt to
flee the city, which is about 2,300 kilometers east of Jakarta.
"There are about 1,300 people at Ambon's port rushing to board a
ship heading for Ujungpandang, Surabaya and Jakarta," said a
witness.

The fleeing residents were seen carrying suitcases, furniture
and kitchen utensils as they clamored to board the ship.
(23/44/swe)