No martial law in Maluku: Government, DPR

No martial law in Maluku: Government, DPR

JAKARTA (JP): The government and the House of Representatives
(DPR) have agreed that the state of civil emergency in the Maluku
islands should remain intact and ruled out the possibility of
imposing martial law to stop the continuing clashes there.

Speaking to reporters following a meeting to discuss the
issue, House Speaker Akbar Tandjung said the legislative body had
urged the Indonesian Military (TNI) to take both stricter and
forcible measures to put an end to all kinds of violence that
have plagued Maluku and North Maluku provinces for 18 months.

"The civil emergency status is still needed, and TNI can take
more effective measures in the area," Akbar told a media briefing
which followed the meeting.

The gathering was attended by Interim Coordinating Minister
for Political Affairs and Security Surjadi Soedirdja, Minister of
Defense Juwono Sudarsono, Minister of Law and Legislation Yusril
Ihza Mahendra, TNI chief Adm. Widodo A.S., Army Chief of Staff
Gen. Tyasno Sudarto, the House leaders and provincial legislators
from Maluku, North Maluku and Central Sulawesi.

There was no immediate explanation as to why Maluku Governor
Saleh Latucosina as the civil emergency ruler of the territory
was not invited to the meeting.

Akbar further said the House could understand the lack of
funds to finance TNI's operation in the troubled province and
that a review of the budget would be discussed in the near
future.

Friday's meeting also resulted in an agreement to intensify
gun sweeps, forcing Laskar Jihad (Jihad Force) Muslim volunteers
to quit the islands and to take stern measures against all Army
personnel allegedly involved in the clashes.

Juwono later told The Jakarta Post that the government would
rely on the Navy to apprehend Laskar Jihad members and remove
them from the provinces on the grounds that they had ignited
fresh clashes there.

"The dispatch of Laskar Jihad and any other forces has reached
almost 10,000 people in the last three months and they have
become the main reason for the ongoing ground conflict," Juwono
said.

He said the Navy would concentrate on the areas most prone to
conflict.

Juwono also said "neutral" security personnel would be sent to
Maluku to replace personnel who had taken sides with the warring
groups.

"The Malukus are ready to make peace and are tired of
conflict. As soon as these people are out and the Army personnel
who were involved are punished, the locals can certainly
reconciliate," he added.

U.S. statement

Meanwhile, the United States expressed "deep concern" over the
escalating sectarian violence and a statement released on Friday
by the U.S. Embassy here urged the government to step up its
efforts to halt the clashes.

"We urge the government to take further measures to prevent
the bloodshed, and take action against those who initiate
violence," it said.

The statement also urged Jakarta to "stop extremists from
outside areas from inflaming the situation and engaging in
violence" and ensure that troops adhered to "international
standards for the protection of civil rights".

Tension was rife in the Maluku capital of Ambon on Friday
following clashes that claimed at least nine lives and injured
over 20 others.

Officials at Dr. Haulussy General Hospital, Bakti Rahayu
Private Hospital and Al Fatah Islamic Hospital revealed that more
victims were admitted for immediate treatment, most of whom were
suffering from wounds inflicted by gunshots, mortar attacks,
grenades and bomb shrapnel.

Three people reportedly died on Friday as they were trapped in
gunfights between security personnel in Diponegoro subdistrict
and clashes between troops and rioters in the areas of
Batugantung, Kampung Kolam, Pohon Ganemo, Mardika and Hatiwe
Kecil.

A local reporter who witnessed the exchange of fire in
Diponegoro said the incident involved troops from Army's
Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) 509th battalion and the
National Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob), who were guarding the
Diponegoro Atas area and other units from, among others, East
Java's Brawijaya Military Command and Central Java's Diponegoro
Military Command who were guarding the Diponegoro Bawah area.

No immediate confirmation from officials was available.

As of late on Friday, gunfire and explosions were still being
heard in several areas across the city. (49/dja/edt)