Trouble feared in Maluku as RMS anniversary nears

Trouble feared in Maluku as RMS anniversary nears

Oktovianus Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Ambon

Three days prior to the South Maluku Republic secessionist
movement's anniversary on April 25, the tension in Maluku,
especially the provincial capital of Ambon, is mounting.

Following last week's arrest of Alex Manuputty, the chairman
of the Maluku Sovereignty Forum (FKM) -- also a separatist group
-- and an executive of the South Maluku Republic (RMS), local
authorities have stepped up security and conducted routine
patrols in strategic areas both at sea and on neighboring islands
in anticipation of any unwanted reaction from the two leaders'
supporters.

Maluku Provincial Chief Brig. Gen. Soenarko, said local
authorities were prepared to face any possible disturbance on the
eve of the RMS anniversary.

"Under the state of civil emergency, we have the authority to
take any action necessary to keep and restore security and
order," he said.

Hundreds of police and military personnel have been closely
monitoring the FKM headquarters in the Kuda Mati area of the city
and other subdistricts, such as Gunung Nona and Batu Gajah Hill,
where FKM supporters are making preparations for the celebration
of their anniversary and holding free speech forums daily.

The police personnel were also stationed at the city's gates
to prevent FKM supporters from entering strategic sites or
buildings such as the governor's office, the provincial
legislative building and the state-run media offices of TVRI
television and RRI radio in the city.

FKM supporters had earlier said that despite Manuputty's
arrest, they would go ahead with their plan to raise the RMS flag
to mark the republic's independence.

"With or without Manuputty, we will raise the RMS flag to
celebrate our independence," said an FKM supporter at the
provincial police headquarters.

The flag with four colors --red, white, blue and green-- is
locally called mena muria which means "no turning back" in the
local dialect.

Security authorities also made their presence felt in the
subdistricts inhabited by conflicting Muslim and Christian
factions in the city, especially Galungung, Halong, Galala and
Air Kuning.

"We do not want any infiltrators or snipers to enter the four
subdistricts, the home base of both Christian and Muslim
communities," said Maj. CAJ Herri Suhardi, spokesman for the
Pattimura Military Command overseeing Maluku and North Maluku.

The two-month old Malino peace deal, signed in Malino, South
Sulawesi, on February 12, 2002, has now been called ineffective
in its aim to end the prolonged sectarian conflict that has
claimed more than 6,000 lives since January, 1999, since many
factions both from the Christian and Muslim communities do not
accept it.

Over the last two months, a part of the governor's office
building was burned and several bombs have exploded, claiming
several lives.

The peace agreement's effectiveness has also been undermined
due to an absence of tough action against trouble makers,
especially those from the law enforcement and security forces who
have taken sides in the conflict.