Suspected rioters in Ambon arrested, 14 sent to jail

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The police have arrested 13 suspected perpetrators of riots and violence in Maluku, as the Ambon District Court sentenced on Monday 14 men to serve between two years and five years in jail for raising four separatist flags.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf said on Monday that the suspects were arrested for their roles in bomb attacks and killings in several villages across Ambon and other parts of Maluku.

"Based on the arrests of these 13 people, the police concluded that violence in Ambon was not merely fueled by religious and ethnic conflicts, but also incited by a terror group," said Saleh.

Those arrested were Yunus Tanalepy, Henky Tatipikalawan, Morgan Manuhutu, Amstrong, Yunus Luhulima, Semol Polhapessy, Boy Laturete, Jenny Rival, Jemy Rival, Conny Sahertian, Lukas Tomasoa, Rait and Abraham.

Saleh said the Maluku Police were still hunting for four other people who were believed to be the masterminds behind various acts of violence in Ambon.

They are Berthy Lopatty, Hans Nanlohy, Martin Tomasoa and Andrey Polhapesy.

Saleh said that most of the suspects were responsible for bomb attacks in Porto village, a predawn attack on Soya village, attacks at Pasar Ikan village, Merdika Square and a vessel called the California.

"Amstrong helped these people get the explosives. Amstrong also served as the brains behind arranging the attacks, while Abraham was the one who built the bombs," said Saleh.

He said that the motive behind a string of bomb attacks and killings across Ambon was the illegal trade of explosives, firearms and ammunition.

"Their actions have posed a protracted threat to security in the country," said Saleh, adding that should conflicts persist between warring parties, they would continue to sell explosives, firearms and ammunition.

Saleh also said that there had been indications that some dismissed military personnel had also taken part in the case, while the role of the separatist group was still under further investigation.

Meanwhile, the 14 men sentenced to jail by the Ambon District Court were members of the separatist Maluku Sovereignty Front.

They were convicted of raising four separatist flags on April 25, the anniversary of the proclamation of the South Maluku Republic (RMS) in 1950, a movement which was quickly quashed by the government of then president Sukarno. Most of the activists and leaders of the group fled to the Netherlands.

"Their actions to separate from the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia has caused concern among society and helped fuel the conflict in the Malukus," Judge Riyono said. All defendants said they would appeal.

Maluku has been ravaged by three years of sectarian violence since January 1999. More than 5,000 people have been killed.

Intermittent violence has continued since both sides signed a government-backed peace pact in February.

Some Muslims said the mainly Christian separatist movement helped fuel the sectarian violence, while Christians blamed the Laskar Jihad Muslim militia.

Alex Manuputty and Samuel Waileruni, the leader and senior official of the Maluku Sovereignty Front, are on trial in Jakarta.

The two are accused of subversion for allegedly setting up an illegal organization and raising the banned separatist flag. They face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.