Violence defies civil emergency

Violence defies civil emergency

AMBON, Maluku (JP): Gunfire and explosions were the sounds of
the day here on Tuesday, defying a state of civil emergency
imposed across Maluku hours earlier.

Blood tainted the soil of what were once known as the spice
islands as a security officer was killed and two civilians
injured from gunshots, bringing the death toll in a week of
violence to 66. Overnight clashes left 13 people, including five
security officers, dead.

Pvt. Ongen Sihasale was shot in the head by a sniper in the
Tanah Lapang Kecil area of the disputed Talake subdistrict about
5 p.m. local time on Tuesday, and died en route to Dr. Haulussy
General Hospital.

Earlier in the day, a housewife, identified only as Mrs.
Pieters, and an employee named Raymond Frans also suffered
gunshot wounds from sniper attacks. They are being treated at the
private Bakti Rahayu Hospital.

Hundreds others have been injured, mostly from bullets and
bomb shrapnel over the past week following clashes in the Ambon
areas of Batugantung, Talake, Ahuru and Sirimau and the Nania and
Baguala subdistricts on the outskirts of the town. Thousands of
people have sought refuge in several police stations and Halong
Naval base, six kilometers east of here.

The arrival of a heavy downpour saw a temporary cessation of
Tuesday's fights.

In accordance with Jakarta's policy, Maluku Governor Saleh
Latuconsina officially declared a state of civil emergency in
Maluku, taking effect at 00:00 a.m. on Tuesday after a meeting at
the headquarters of 733rd Masariku Airborne Battalion later in
the day.

Present at the announcement of Gubernatorial Decree No.
1/6/2000 on the civil emergency were the new Pattimura Military
chief Col. I Made Yasa, Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Firman
Gani, provincial legislature speaker Zeth Sahuburua, head of the
provincial prosecutors office TH Panggabean and chief of the
Navy's Eastern Fleet Security Operation Commodore Sumarjono.

Under the state of civil emergency, the local governor is
empowered to take wide measures to stem the violence, including
ordering the military to make sweeping raids, ban meetings and
put areas off limits to the public.

"A curfew has been set from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and the
emergency status also prohibits a gathering of more than 10
people without a clear reason," Firman told reporters in a post-
meeting conference.

The government has ruled out any outside military intervention
to cope with the worsening bloodbath. Foreign minister Alwi
Shihab, who was in Kuala Lumpur, told Associated Press on Tuesday
Indonesia would hold firm in rejecting any military assistance
from the United Nations or any member of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations.

Yasa, who took over from Brig. Gen. Max Tamaela on Monday,
said he had called on all military personnel to report to their
respective units.

"I order all personnel who have been separated (from their
units) to regroup immediately or at least report to the nearest
security station," Yasa said shortly after his appointment late
on Monday.

He said he gave troops at large until June 30 to report their
whereabouts.

Both warring camps in Maluku have accused individuals in the
military and police of taking sides and being involved in the
sectarian conflict.

Witnesses said security officers were involved in Monday's
incidents, which lead to the deaths of Second Sgt. Lasano of the
Army's air defense unit and four unidentified soldiers. Dozens of
sedatives were found in Lasano's pocket.

Firman, who was former commander of the elite Police Mobile
Brigade (Brimob), said that security forces would closely monitor
the movements of intruders on the islands.

"We will continue the massive sweeping operation in
coordination with existing military units," he said.

Firman took over from Brig. Gen. I Dewa Astika in a modest and
abrupt ceremony at Astika's official residence in the Mangga Dua
area in the early hours of Tuesday. The ceremony took place
during a power blackout, forcing them to conduct the ceremony by
candlelight. It was originally scheduled to take place on
Thursday.

Meanwhile, thousands of residents started to leave the islands
on Tuesday, mostly aboard the KM Dobonsolo, Merpati airliners and
Hercules military planes.

People here were also seen thronging the markets and shops to
stock up on food supplies, while the town also saw kerosene and
gasoline shortages.

Several security posts were abandoned by troops and roadblocks
were set up in almost every corner of the town.(49/edt)