Police vow to continue arms seizure in Maluku

JAKARTA (JP): Police pledged on Saturday to continue confiscating weapons from civilians in Maluku amid reports that arms trafficking was becoming a lucrative business for many people here, including security personnel.

Maluku Police chief Col. Bugis M. Saman was quoted by Antara news agency as saying in the Maluku capital of Ambon that the search for weapons would continue, and stiff sanctions awaited those who refused to surrender their arms.

Saman said police would focus their attention on houses suspected of being "factories and warehouses" for weapons. He also acknowledged an increase in the distribution of homemade rifles in Ambon and surrounding areas, but refused to give details about the source of the weapons.

He also promised to investigate the possibility that security personnel were selling their bullets for between Rp 1,000 (US 14 cents) and Rp 2,500 each, the news agency reported.

The police launched a search for weapons on Friday, confiscating eight homemade rifles and dozens of sharp weapons. They said they would continue the operation until peace and order returned to the area.

"No charges will be brought against those who surrender their weapons voluntarily, but stiff measures will be imposed on those caught red-handed (in possession of weapons)," Saman said.

On Sunday Antara reported that at least 24 passengers of the KM Bukit Siguntang ship who disembarked at the naval base in Ambon were taken into police custody for carrying weapons.

The police had frisked all passengers.

The news agency reported many more had brought sharp weapons but had thrown them into the sea after being informed of the raid. "They (passengers who brought weapons) must have seen the police and navy patrol ships," a passenger said.

However police chief of Ambon and Lease islands, Lt.Col. Gufron, said only five were detained, and two of them had carried daggers. He denied that 24 were detained.

Information

Until Saturday night explosions were still heard in Ambon, believed to be from self-made explosives. Also heard were dozens of gunshots from security personnel.

Lack of reliable information worsened the situation.

In response to several bodies found including one with slash wounds on Saturday morning, the police chief would not comment.

"Journalists are expected to issue news of appeals only," a reporter here said.

"We need police confirmation," he told The Jakarta Post. "The public cannot rely only on information from the Muslim and Christian posts," he said. "It is risky for journalists here to report things like suspected murders without police statements, we could be targets of people's wrath."

As of Sunday residents were continuing to seek shelter at relatives' homes in Ambon.

Months of armed conflict between Muslims and Christians here has traumatized locals. In the latest incident in Ambon in late- July, at least 31 people were killed. Most Ambon residents choose to remain at home as reports of violence continue to come in, and shots and explosions are sporadically heard.

Antara also reported a mob in Galala village killed two employees of a local company on Friday morning. One of the victims was identified as Suhartono, while the identity of the other could not be established because his body was not recovered.

So far there has been no investigation into the incident, according to the news agency.

Meanwhile, officials of Dr. M. Haulussy Hospital in Ambon denied media reports that its medical specialists had fled Ambon after receiving threats.

Spokeswoman Dr. H. Tanamal confirmed six specialists had left and three others were now nonactive, but said 16 specialists were still working at the hospital.

In addition, the hospital has at least four general practitioners, she said, adding that three general practitioners were now on leave, another was pursuing further studies and six had left the hospital.

Another specialist from the Indonesian Navy has been assigned to the hospital, she said.

Hundreds of people in Maluku have been killed in the violence which initially erupted during the Muslim holiday of Idul Fitri in late-January. An estimated 100,000 people have become displaced and are now living in various makeshift refugee centers.

In Tual, Southeast Maluku, at least 22,000 people are living in squalid conditions in refugee centers following an outbreak of violence on March 31. They are reportedly being served by two doctors.

The government has allocated at least Rp 25 billion from its 1999/2000 budget to repair and rebuild facilities destroyed in Southeast Maluku.

In addition, the regency administration allocated Rp 7.9 billion from its budget for the rebuilding process.

It was reported that in Southeast Maluku, 2,253 houses, 23 school buildings, nine health clinic and 49 places of worship were either burned or damaged during the violence. (05/swe)