State of emergency retained

State of emergency retained

AMBON, Maluku: Maj. Gen. Agustadi, the chief of the Pattimura
Military Command, which oversees Maluku, said on Wednesday that
recent security improvements in the province were not enough
reason to lift the state of civil emergency.

Agustadi said he was not considering lifting the state of
emergency just yet, reasoning that much work needed to be done to
ensure that violence would not return.

"So for this year, the state of civil emergency might not be
lifted. However we are moving in that direction," he said.

A state of civil emergency has been in force in Maluku since
2000, after sectarian clashes erupted in the province.

Fighting between Muslims and Christians abated after the
signing of the Malino peace agreement last year.

However, sporadic violence continues, which some suspect is
aimed at reigniting the three-year sectarian conflict.

Separatism sentiment among the mainly Christian community in
Maluku has also flared because of the conflict. -- Antara