Police again urge Lasykar Jihad to leave Maluku

AMBON, Maluku (JP): Police reiterated their call on Lasykar Jihad (Jihad Force) to leave Maluku and let the governor, as head of the civil emergency state and the people, settle the lengthy sectarian clamor.

Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Firman Gani said here on Tuesday that tougher efforts were needed to urge members of the Jihad Force to return home.

"Muslims in general and members of the Jihad Force should be aware that Governor Latuconsina, as head of the civil emergency state in the riot-torn province, must be given a chance to handle the situation," Firman said. "Let the Ambonese deal with their problems."

Some 2,000 Jihad Force members are believed to be operating in the province of Maluku since their arrival 18 months ago.

Firman's statements were in response to reports from a resident of Tial village who complained about the presence of members of the Jihad Force in the village.

H.R. Tatuhey told the police that the Jihad Force members' arrival at the village must have been known by the authorities. He said if the government was ready to send Jihad Force members home, the villagers were also ready to help the government.

Tatuhey said the presence of Jihad Force members was unwanted by the villagers.

Firman also said the dossier on 12 Jihad Force members who were arrested for the Air Salobar incident on Oct. 25 would be completed soon.

"The dossier on the Maluku churches' team of lawyers has been submitted to the Prosecutor's Office," Firman said, referring to the alleged falsification of a Muslim leader's signature.

Firman earlier said the lawyers were also accused of changing the date on a letter from the local Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI). MUI acknowledged the issuance of the letter containing the MUI call to disrupt the 1999 Islamic Idul Fitri holidays. But MUI said the letter was dated Jan. 26, while the lawyers claim that a copy of the letter they received was dated Jan. 9.

The Muslims objected to the change in date, because if the letter was dated Jan. 9, they could be held responsible for the first mass riot in the province, which erupted on Jan. 19, 1999.

In Yogyakarta, chairman of the Jihad Force's communications forum, Ayip Syafruddin, accused the military of being partial in the prolonged sectarian conflict in Maluku.

Ayip said during a media conference at the Cakra Kembang Hotel on Tuesday that the partiality of the military was due to the arrogance of the chief of the Security Recovery Sector, Col. Agustinus Siswanto.

According to Ayip, Siswanto favored Christian groups. "Therefore we urge Indonesian Military Commander Adm. Widodo AS to remove Siswanto soon."

However, Ayip said he was unable to provide firm evidence of the partiality of the military. (49/sur/swa)