Security tightened in Maluku

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Authorities have tightened security in Maluku province ahead of the anniversary of the Republic of South Maluku (RMS) independence movement on April 24.

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said here on Thursday that the police were ready to deal firmly with RMS supporters trying to hoist the separatist flag on April 24.

"We are guarding several places in the province that we think are possible sites where independence supporters will hoist the flag, which we will strive to prevent from happening," Da'i said after a Cabinet meeting here on Thursday.

Despite police warnings against hoisting the independence flag, over 2,000 RMS supporters have vowed to raise the flag on the organization's anniversary on April 24, raising fears of violent clashes between security personnel and the movement's supporters.

RMS initiated an armed rebellion due to disappointment with Jakarta in the 1950s, but it was crushed by government troops.

"The police will not hesitate to arrest anybody who insists on doing so (hoist the flag) as it is against the law," said Da'i, adding that the police would deal with offenders within the existing legal framework.

He also called on people not to incite further violence in Ambon, where a protracted religious conflict had killed close to 10,000 people, mostly innocent civilians, since it broke out in January 1999.

"We call on the people there not to incite new violence in Ambon because security in that province has slowly improved," Da'i said.

Meanwhile, Maluku provincial legislature chairman Sahubura said on Thursday that RMS was just a security disturbance movement that security personnel had to deal with firmly.

He also called on the government to ban the Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM), whose members support independence, and deal sternly with its members in accordance with the law.

FKM was set up in 2000 in protest to the government's failure to put an end to clashes between Muslims and Christians in the province.

FKM chairman Alex Manuputty was sentenced to three years in jail in January for encouraging people to raise RMS flags in 2002. He, however, remains free pending appeal.

Sahubura also urged both the Maluku administration and security personnel in the province to maintain cohesiveness and solidarity among people in the province so that both Christians and Muslims could join hands in dealing with separatists.

He also appealed to the public not to be easily provoked and to report the whereabouts of separatists to local security officers.

Earlier, the Muslim community in the province had vowed to foil any anniversary celebration of RMS next week.

The Islam Defenders Front of Maluku (FPIM) has began pasting green leaflets on buildings in a predominantly Muslim housing complex in Ambon, warning the Muslim community of the secessionist movement.

Such a response has raised fears of renewed religious conflicts in the province, as virtually all FKM members are Christian.

FKM secretary-general Moses Tuanakota said that 2,500 supporters of the organization would observe the anniversary by hoisting RMS flags across the province.