Police wants Maluku civil emergency lifted
Yogita Tahilramani and Oktovianus Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Ambon
The National Police have suggested that President Megawati Soekarnoputri lift the civilian state of emergency in the strife- torn provinces of Maluku and North Maluku.
The state of emergency have been in effect in the two provinces for nearly two years now.
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Tuesday that a formal request would be made soon.
"Based on the facts on the ground, the security conditions have improved in North Maluku, and some places in Maluku are slowly stabilizing," Da'i said at National Police Headquarters.
Da'i added that police strength was still concentrated in the Maluku capital of Ambon, which remained tense despite the recent peace pact reached between the warring Muslim and Christian groups in Malino, South Sulawesi.
"We'll gradually pull back our elite police units to National Police Headquarters, and replace them with local police officers ... but this can only be done after we are fully convinced that the security situation has returned to normal," Da'i said.
Sociologist Thamrin Amal Tomagola, who is a North Maluku native, had earlier said that disarming the warring militant groups in violence-torn Maluku should top the peace-keeping agenda under the supervision of the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Thamrin also suggested that Army Special Forces troops be involved in conducting regular searches for weapons in Maluku and in the disarming of the militias.
Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Sunarko A.D., set a March 1 deadline on Tuesday for the militias to surrender their weapons before a massive operation to search for arms began.
He added that Tuesday's meeting between provincial administration and security officials resulted in a decision to prohibit the media from printing or broadcasting information that could incite fresh violence in Maluku.
"If reporters, whether print or broadcast, spread news that incites violence, the matter will be processed according to the prevailing laws. The police will first issue warnings ... if the offending action continues, then we will summon (the reporter) for questioning," Sunarko said.
He added that similar action would be taken against military or police personnel suspected of inciting violence between the Muslim and Christian communities.
"There will be no compromise on this matter, because all sides have suffered enough. The officer will be reprimanded. If the violation is serious, the officer may also be dismissed," he said.