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