Solving Maluku conflict
I am commenting on the front page article of The Jakarta Post on May 13, titled Expelling militant groups from Maluku is not a solution.
The article quotes a sociologist as saying: "When it does not guarantee security, expelling those groups (Muslim militant group Laskar Jihad and Christian militant group Laskar Kristus) will not bring a major positive impact to Maluku".
I am sick and tired of statements that like that being given prominence in the media. Such statements do not recommend any solutions, only criticism and pessimism.
The Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, the IRA in Northern Ireland, ETA in Spain, have been wreaking havoc among the civilian population for dozens of years. The best security forces and police tactics, the best politicians have not been able to put these movements to rest. But the governments of the afflicted countries and the police and security forces have not stopped trying to stop these terrorist groups from doing more harm and have not stopped trying to protect the civilian population.
In Maluku three years of sectarian conflict have taken 6,000 lives, maybe more, and not a single person has been jailed or sentenced. Surely it can't be too difficult to identify the perpetrators of terror, those who carry guns and sharp weapons on the streets. How stupid can we be? Now at long last, the government is issuing a directive ordering vigilantes (because that is what Laskar Jihad and Laskar Kristus are, people who take the law into their own hands) to be expelled from Maluku, and launching door-to-door raids, disarming these vigilantes.
I would say to the government and especially to Coordinating Minister Bambang Yudhoyono: Don't heed comments by Laskar Jihad, sociologists and others who doubt the effectiveness of these directives. Carry on and protect the civilian Muslim and Christian populations alike.
I am sure most of the ordinary citizens of Indonesia like me, applaud your action rather than inaction. I would say to you, be forceful in trying to restore law and order. We can fight for our causes in a democratic way, within the confines of law and order. I am sure most ordinary Indonesian are behind you; we are all for peace, we are all against violence and terror.
INKE MARIS
Jakarta