Violence must be comprehensively curbed: Minister
JAKARTA (JP): Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Agum Gumelar called on provincial authorities to comprehensively curb violence within their jurisdictions and to prevent it from spreading to neighboring provinces.
Referring to the fresh outbreaks of violence in the town of Poso, Central Sulawesi, Pontianak in West Kalimantan, Ambon in Maluku and the lingering unrest in the province of Aceh, Agum said active measures were needed in the trouble spots.
He said that the government had sent military and police reinforcements to maintain security in the restive areas. "This (deployment) is a major burden on the country's ailing economy."
Agum asserted that the recent disturbances in a number of provinces indicated that the people could no longer distinguish between anarchy and democracy, as many anarchic actions were being committed in the name of democracy and reform.
Meanwhile, latest reports said that the six people reported missing on Thursday in Central Kalimantan had yet to be found.
Tadulako Military Command spokesman First Lt. Abdul Haris told reporters in Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Friday that the six missing people had been traveling in a Kijang van which was later found torched by persons unknown in the district of Lage on Thursday.
"We have yet to identify the missing persons. And we don't know if they are dead or still alive," Haris said.
He confirmed that the situation in Poso was still tense.
Quoting official records, he said that at least 50 houses in the village of Tomata had been burned to the ground between June 20 and June 27.
Thus far, some 1,400 military and police personnel have been put on alert in the restive Poso.
Three people have died in the recent violence in the town, but unconfirmed reports said that four other people had also died.
Meanwhile, Antara reported from the West Kalimantan capital of Pontianak that the local administration was encountering difficulties following the resettlement of Madurese refugees in the city.
The refugees, who fled ethnic violence between Madurese migrants and indigenous residents in Sambas two years ago, have been resettled by the Pontianak administration.
The in-town resettlement has reportedly brought about social problems which have triggered the anger of locals. The locals have now set a deadline of July 1 for the administration to relocate the migrants.
Speaker of the Pontianak legislative council Ali Hanafiah disagreed with the deadline, saying that such an ultimatum would not solve the problem.
"The Sambas refugees are not the problem of the local administration. It's a matter that involves the future of the Madurese people and a harmonious existence among all ethnic groups in Pontianak," he said.
"If all sides go their own way in dealing with the problem, things will deteriorate and the sectarian clashes will probably persist," he warned. "There are now around 8,000 refugees here and dealing with the problems caused by them will not that easy." (24/sur)