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.