Officials trade barbs over Maluku violence

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Badmouthing and finger-pointing began on Thursday over renewed violence in Ambon, Maluku, where ethnic and religious conflicts have claimed over 6,000 civilian lives.

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno slammed Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina on Thursday for giving vague instructions to security personnel, while National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar denied suggestions that police there had ignored orders from the chief of the state of civil emergency.

"The instructions must be clear, put them in writing if necessary... don't confuse troops in the field," Hari said after a Cabinet meeting here on Thursday.

The retired three-star Army general was reacting to Latuconsina's accusation on Wednesday that the Indonesian Military (TNI) and police had ignored his instructions in dealing with the religious conflict in the province.

Latuconsina, who is also the chief of the state of civil emergency imposed in Ambon in June 2000, was also critical of the Navy's indifference to his orders to beef up sea security, and security officers' reluctance to arrest those responsible for instigating the violence.

"If we ask the Navy why they do not provide sea security, they would say 'we lack equipment', where in fact the Maluku administration has already provided most of the required equipment," Latuconsina said on Wednesday.

Hari admitted on Thursday that TNI and police were often perplexed in discharging their duties as most were concerned that they might commit human rights abuses.

"Because when someone so much as gets a bruise during a security operation, the troops could be implicated in human rights abuses. This has caused doubts to the security officers," he said in a possible reference to the ongoing human rights trials for crimes committed by the military in East Timor.

Security conditions in Ambon worsened on Sunday after well- trained unidentified gunmen attacked the Christian village of Soya, killing at least 14 people.

The attack shattered the fragile peace that began to take shape in the province after most Christian and Muslim leaders signed a peace accord in Malino, South Sulawesi in February.

It also came amid heightened tensions surrounding the hoisting of separatist flags on the April 25 anniversary of the predominantly Christian separatist movement, the Republic of South Maluku (RMS).

Da'i denied allegations that police tended to disregard orders from the governor, but did admit that police officers were reluctant to arrest suspected masterminds behind the violence for fear of sparking further violence.

"We do not want to arrest anyone, because they may follow that up with even more violence," Da'i asserted on Thursday.

Da'i refused to mention anyone by name but his comments came amid accusations that the commander of the militant Laskar Jihad paramilitary force, Jaffar Umar Thalib, was behind Sunday's attack in Soya.

"The Soya tragedy had to do with the provocation by the chairman of an extreme group who addressed a mass gathering held before the incident," Latuconsina said on Wednesday.

Jaffar Umar Thalib addressed an illegal rally at the Al-Fatah Mosque in the city last Friday, two days before the deadly attack, during which he called on the people to wage an all-out war against RMS.

Laskar Jihad has long been blamed for fueling the Christian- Muslim fighting, which broke out in early 1999. Thousands of the Java-based militants began pouring into Maluku in May 2000, proclaiming unilaterally to be on a mission to defend the Muslims who reside there.

Laskar Jihad had openly opposed the February peace pact, charging that it was unrepresentative of those involved in the conflict.

There have been no moves against the paramilitary fighters or Thalib, who is actually a murder suspect, prompting complaints from local Christian leaders.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Yusuf Kalla, one of the main figures involved in the Malino accord, denied on Thursday speculation that the government was planning to institute martial law in Ambon following the latest violence.

Kalla also blamed warring groups for refusing to settle differences through peaceful dialog.

"Don't just blame the security troops.. what about those people who continue to fight against one another," he said.