Megawati orders the weeding out of RMS
Megawati orders the weeding out of RMS
M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon
President Megawati Soekarnoputri ordered here on Saturday the
eradication of the separatist group, the South Maluku Republic
(RMS), blamed for renewed clashes in Ambon last month, as Muslim
protesters greeted her visit.
"All forms of separatism should be wiped out because they
threaten the Unitary Republic of Indonesia. Firm action should be
taken against them in accordance with the law," she said at a
meeting with religious leaders in Ambon.
Citing a presidential decree issued in 1950 by then president
Sukarno, her father, Megawati said the existence of the RMS was
outlawed in the country.
"Currently, there has been an erosion of nationalism with the
emergence of separatism; that's why we should maintain unity as
one nation living within an archipelago," she said.
The President also said the Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM),
which was founded by the RMS, should not necessarily be
associated with Christians, as Muslims were also activists within
the separatist group.
The Christian stigma should be lifted from the FKM/RMS, in
order to prevent more religious conflict in Maluku, she added.
"The RMS has nothing to do with religion: It's a political
matter, in which a group of certain people wants to break away
from Indonesia."
Megawati, who is seeking reelection, said her two-hour visit
to Ambon showed she cared about the problems in the troubled city
in eastern Indonesia.
In a one-hour meeting with the President, local people were
represented by Maluku Indonesian Ulemas Council secretary-general
Idris Latuconsina, Ambon Bishop PC Mandagi and Maluku Protestant
Church leader IWJ Hendriks.
The three religious leaders told Megawati to resolve the
conflict in Maluku, including taking firm action against the
separatist group.
Earlier, however, Mandagi accused soldiers of provoking the
recent riots. Their alleged role was not discussed at Saturday's
meeting.
The RMS was blamed for triggering three days of clashes in
Ambon, starting on April 25, the group's anniversary. At least 40
people, including two police officers, were killed, 227 injured
and more than 540 houses and schools set ablaze.
On the arrival of Megawati, who was accompanied by her
husband, Taufik Kiemas, around 100 Muslim protesters staged a
rally outside the Maluku governor's office to demand that all RMS
activists be arrested and face the law.
They urged her to explain the escape of RMS leader Alex
Manuputty to the United States after his conviction was upheld by
the Supreme Court last year.
Apart from meeting with the local religious leaders and public
figures, Megawati also inaugurated a number of road, bridge and
water supply projects in the famed Spice Islands.
As she left for neighboring North Maluku province later in the
evening, the protesters and others reestablished roadblocks on
main streets across Ambon after they had been lifted by security
forces on Friday.
Maluku was ravaged by three years of Muslim-Christian conflict
that left more than 6,000 dead until a peace pact was signed in
February 2002 to end the violence.