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)