Three people arrested in Ambon with guns, ammunition
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Three people were apprehended for allegedly carrying ammunition, detonators, weapons and marijuana aboard KM Dobonsolo, which docked in the naval base in Ambon early on Wednesday.
Two detonators, 800 bullets for a M-16 automatic rifle, two rolls of 7.62 caliber bullets each consisting of 60 and 90 projectiles, a gas cylinder, 1,000 firecrackers and six rifles were seized by a joint forces team led by Col. Irwan Koesnadi at about 4 a.m., shortly after the three people arrived at the dock.
Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. Max Tamaela confirmed the arrests, identifying the group only as MP, SS and JT. One of the suspects was reportedly a woman.
"They are now being detained at Maluku Police Headquarters for further investigation," Max said on Wednesday.
The team also seized a package of ganja, three shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine) inhalers, a lighter and a striped military uniform with a marine logo.
The officers confiscated three assembled bombs and two small cannons from JT.
Based on a preliminary investigation, the ammunition belonged to SS, a local Ambonese, and MP acted as a delivery man, Max said.
Max also ordered a full investigation into the drugs, as it was reported that members of the military and police were backing drug distribution.
"If any (military/police) members are proved to be involved in drugs, we'll have no mercy on them," he reiterated.
Calm
The situation in Ambon was calm on Wednesday. The noise of fire crackers was heard instead of bomb explosions or gunshots.
Locals said it may turn out that the visit of President Abdurrahman Wahid would bear fruit.
At the beginning of the holy month of Ramadhan the Maluku governor established a reconciliation team, the members of which are Christian and Muslim.
"We Christians and Muslims at the grassroots level are now aware that they have been pitted against each other. We believe that provocateurs have fooled us," a member of the team said.
The team member, who asked for anonymity, cited that the other day a house belonging to a Christian family was burned. "The house is located right in front of a police office," he said.
About an hour later a Muslim man was shot dead near the harbor, he said. "Those accidents indicated that all were engineered by certain parties."
"The other a day rumor had it that a Muslim was shot dead in Seram, North Maluku. The members of the team were sent out to find information about it and they found that nobody was killed. We are now hunting for the person who spread the rumor," he said.
He said unrest which broke out one day after the President's visit was also orchestrated by the same provocateurs.
He also said that Muslims had invited them to a buka puasa bersama (breaking of the fast gathering). "There was no problem. We were not suspicious of each other."
Ten Christian youths led by Yosias Polnaya and 10 Muslim youths led by Abdullah Tuasikal are in the reconciliation team set up by the governor.
The province of Maluku has been torn by unrest for almost a year, leaving hundreds of people dead. The government had not come up with a solution to end the conflict up until President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri visited on Sunday. (48/edt/sur)