Six people reported missing after minor violence in Ambon

Six people reported missing after minor violence in Ambon

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

At least six people were missing after renewed violence, aimed at
challenging the quest for peace in Maluku, broke out on Saturday
in Ambon, the province's governor said on Monday.

Saleh Latuconsina said the security authorities were searching
for the six persons who were reported missing when a group of
drunken senior high school children attacked a joint rally by
Muslims and Christians from Maluku Tenggara and East Seram.

The incident took place in the Waihaong area in Ambon, leaving
five people injured and four motorcycles burned.

It was not immediately clear whether the six people were
abducted by the attackers during the rally, which was held to
celebrate the recent peace accord.

However, Saleh said the six people had not returned home after
Saturday's violence.

"For sure, there will be an explanation about their
whereabouts from us later. But I don't have any further at the
present time," he was quoted by Antara as saying at his office in
Ambon before he flew to Jakarta.

The attack was apparently an attempt to disrupt the peaceful
celebrations by Muslims and Christians, who were marking the
peace accord with a parade.

Local authorities, and Muslim and Christian leaders who signed
the pact on Feb. 12, blamed the mayhem on provocateurs. They
pledged not to stop their joint efforts to restore peace in
Maluku despite a small group of people who were opposed the
agreement.

A Muslim women's group from the Baguala area in Ambon was
among those rejecting the 11-point agreement. They visited the
gubernatorial office on Monday to express their rejection.

Saleh expressed amazement over the protest by the women's
group, which he claimed contradicted its earlier stance on
Friday.

"At the time when they were asked whether they accepted the
accord, they say 'yes'. But today (Monday), they came and said
they were against it. How could they change their minds so
easily?" he added.

In response to the opposition, the governor said that local
community members could adopt such a stance as the outcome of the
pact was still being disseminated to all people in the province.

But they must not provoke others to do the same. Otherwise
they would come up against the security forces, warned Saleh, who
also serves as the head of the Maluku civil emergency authority.

"I say once more, don't ever try to provoke people to
destabilize the security situation after the Malino agreement.
The government will take repressive measures against
troublemakers based on the prevailing laws," he said.

Meanwhile, Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. Mustopo
said that between 400 and 500 firearms were still in the hands of
the once-warring Muslims and Christians in Maluku.

"That's my estimate because 164 firearms have been handed over
so far, some of them police weapons that were lost in Tantui
village," he told Antara on Monday.

Since last Friday, local people have been urged to voluntarily
surrender their sharp weapons to the authorities. The police are
due to begin arms searches on April 1.

As efforts got underway to disseminate information on the
agreement in churches, mosques and other places, people from both
communities paraded through Ambon in celebratory mood last week
until Saturday's minor disturbance.

More unrest is feared as long as the masterminds behind the
incident remain at large in Maluku.

However, the recent challenge failed to prevent people from
both sides from continuing to mend fences and promote peace after
three years of religious warfare.

Life returned to normal in Ambon on Monday with Christians and
Muslims able to mingle freely in the streets and other public
places.

The religious violence began in Ambon on Jan. 19, 1999, as a
minor clash that quickly spread to other islands in Maluku and
North Maluku, leaving some 6,000 people dead and forcing 500,000
others to flee their homes.