'Soldiers in Maluku must shed ethnic, sectarian sentiments'
Oktovianus Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Ambon
The Army's Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) Commander, Lt. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, told soldiers deployed in the sectarian hot spot of Maluku to shed their prejudices in favor of their own ethnic groups and religions, and, instead, remain loyal both to the state and the Indonesian Military (TNI).
"If you prefer fighting for your place of origin or religion to being loyal to the state and the military, please leave the service," Ryamizard told the troops of Kostrad's 503rd Battalion, which is currently deployed in the province, at the Mahardika field in the city on Tuesday.
Ryamizard, who was accompanied by the Army's Special Forces Commander, Maj. Gen. Amirul Isnaeni, and the commander of the 2nd Kostrad Division, Maj. Gen. Djoko Santoso, was in Ambon to observe the situation in the province in line with planned TNI exercises to be held in the city in the near future.
"I appeal to the governor, who is in charge of the state of civil emergency, the military commander and the provincial police commander to consolidate internally both as regards locally recruited security personnel and those who have been deployed to the province.
"They must be asked to decide whether they love the Indonesian unitary state and the military or prefer to fight for their religion and place of origin. Both the military and the police must be neutral. The security forces are the nation's last line in defending the country's sovereignty as well as protecting its people regardless of their religion and ethnic background," he asserted.
He said a firm stance was essential and discipline had to be imposed by the Maluku authorities on all security personnel as part of the effort to end the prolonged conflict in the province that has claimed more than 6,000 lives and displaced more than 750,000.
"The provincial police chief and the military commander are not my subordinates, but I nevertheless need to say this," he added.
He explained that he has long striven to implant the idea of neutrality in Kostrad personnel. All Kostrad soldiers were obliged to give their first loyalties to the state and the military, rather than to their religion, he said.
"Soldiers who are from Java, Aceh, the Batak country, Ambon or Papua are all Indonesians and they are all equal. Those who fail to adhere the neutrality principle will be drummed out of the Army," he said.
Ryamizard's statement has come somewhat late, however, as it is now generally realized that the military has contributed to the prolonged conflict since it first erupted on Jan. 19, 1999.
The conflict spread quickly through the whole province and North Maluku with the alleged involvement of security personnel, both from the local police and military, taking sides depending on their ethnicity and religion.
The involvement of security personnel may be deduced from the widespread circulation of military standard issue weapons among militiamen from the two conflicting sides, including the radical Muslim organization, Laskar Jihad.
The situation has been further complicated by frequent clashes and firefights between military units, and between military units and the local police.
All of this has rendered it even more difficult for the Maluku authorities to enforce the law and put the Malino II peace deal, which was intended to end the conflict, into effect.