Over 60 separatists arrested in Maluku

Over 60 separatists arrested in Maluku

Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon/Jakarta

Security authorities in Maluku arrested more than 60 people
accused of trying to celebrate the 53rd anniversary of the South
Maluku Republic (RMS) separatist movement.

They were all put in detention and given a stern warning that
they could be imprisoned if they refused to retract their support
for the outlawed independence movement.

Maluku Police Chief Brig. Gen. Bambang Sutrisno said in Ambon,
capital of the Maluku province that the police arrested 30
supporters of the Forum for Maluku Sovereignty (FKM), an outlawed
organization affiliated with RMS, and seized 20 RMS flags in
Aboru district in Haruku Island, Central Maluku regency, as well
as more than 20 others in the city.

"All detainees have been placed in police detention here, and
they will be asked to drop their support for the two outlawed
organizations... They will be brought to court to face subversion
charges if they failed to do so," he said.

The observance of the RMS anniversary was expressed either by
hoisting an RMS flag on trees or flying it on helium balloons in
an attempt to prevent raids on their houses or offices by
security personnel.

A number of people were arrested when they were preparing a
flag-hoisting ceremony in a field in Kudamati, a home base of FKM
and RMS in Ambon. The area was also strictly controlled by scores
of security personnel who examined all people going to and from
the area.

A home-made bomb, assumed by the police to be the work of FKM
supporters, exploded in the Rindjani area in the city. No
casualties were reported.

Separately, Ambon Military District Chief Lt. Col. Yudi
Zannibar said security authorities would continue to use "the
persuasive approach" in deterring RMS supporters.

Around 400 police and military personnel were deployed to
search residents for weapons or flags and break up any
celebrations to mark the RMS anniversary.

The civilian emergency chief banned the two organizations last
year as their supporters were accused of using the recently
subsided three-year sectarian conflict to fight for the
province's independence.

Last April, security authorities also arrested FKM Chairman
Alex Manuputty and a number of RMS supporters for provoking
locals, especially Christians, to support RMS and hoist its flag.

Alex was sentenced by the South Jakarta Court to three years
in jail for subversion but he is appealing to the Jakarta High
Court.

RMS was founded in 1950 to work towards independence,
effectively rejecting Indonesia's independence from the
Netherlands, but it was crushed by the military, and many of its
supporters subsequently fled to the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, FKM Secretary General Mosses Tuana Kotta took
responsibility for the hoisting of an RMS flag on Friday, saying
RMS was a historical fact that the Indonesian government had to
accept.

"FKM is responsible for the celebration of the RMS anniversary
not only in the country but also overseas," he said.

Mosses conceded that FKM had intensified its lobbying efforts
with a number of influential nongovernmental organizations
overseas to push for international recognition for RMS.

He argued that what the FKM supporters had done was termed
subversive by the Indonesian authorities because the government
rejected RMS' existence.

"Therefore, we are trying to show the international community
that RMS does exist and it is fighting for its independence in
Maluku," he said as quoted by Antara news agency.

He also admitted that he had twice met this year with several
NGOs in Europe, Australia and the U.S., with close links to the
United Nations in order to win their support for RMS.

"Let the security authorities take repressive actions on us,
but we will continue our moral movement and peace struggle. The
more repressive the security authorities become, the more that
international support will pour in for us," he warned.

He added that the FKM was ready to hold a dialog with the
government to seek a peaceful solution to the Maluku issue.

Acting governor of Maluku Sinyo Harry Sarundayang lashed out
at Mosses' political statement, saying he was hoping to be
treated like the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in war-torn Aceh,
referring to the degree of international recognition that GAM now
enjoys.

"FKM supporters are actually a small group of people and they
have no power to fight for their political interests. They have
offered a peace dialog to seek money from the government," he
said.

Maluku Muslim Community Chairman Ali Fauzi called on the
government to take harsher measures against the two outlawed
organizations and their supporters since their activities were
against the law.