What's up in Ambon

What's up in Ambon

The recent spate of bombings and reports this week of new arms
caches found in Ambon indicate how fragile is the peace that was
achieved with so much effort in Maluku.

But despite the recent tension, it's fair to say that
important progress has been made in the province since a trivial
argument between a minibus driver and a local tough in January
1999 sparked three years of communal strife and claimed the lives
of nearly 10,000 people. Indeed, if the public's relatively
composed reaction in Ambon to these latest incidents is taken as
a measure of their maturity when facing the threat of renewed
violence, then fears of a conflagration on the scale of the 1999
conflict seem unwarranted. This is, of course, provided all
parties with an interest in seeing the strife prolonged refrain
-- or are prevented -- from disrupting the peace efforts.

The renewed tension in Ambon was triggered by an incident in
April, when fighting broke out after the anniversary celebration
of a group of separatists calling itself the Republic of South
Maluku (RMS). According to reports, members of the group had
already disbanded and were on their way home when they were
attacked by nationalist supporters of the Unitary Republic of
Indonesia (NKRI).

Again, it must be noted that the group currently calling
itself the RMS in Ambon represents a mere few hundred people in
Maluku -- a far cry from the thousands of armed and fanatical
followers in the original RMS separatist movement of the early
1950s. Most of the original RMS leaders are aging and live in
voluntary exile in the Netherlands. To many observers, therefore,
the authorities' focus on such an ostensibly insignificant group
seems irrationally overblown.

Nevertheless, the bombings and the ongoing discovery of arms
in the province is a strong reminder to both the authorities and
the people of Maluku that enduring peace cannot be taken for
granted. The latest incidents make it all too clear elements with
an interest in seeing the peace disrupted are still at work for
either financial or political gain. After all, without
necessarily returning to the 1999-2000 emergency situation, a
prolonged crisis situation in Ambon and Maluku could benefit
certain parties. To paraphrase a report from the now-outlawed
International Crisis Group (ICG): Occasional bombs and shootings
are sufficient to persuade business people and property owners to
pay for special protection.

Obviously, one party that stands nothing to gain from a
perpetual crisis is the general community, including civil
servants, business people and property owners. Under present
circumstances, the first thing that must be done is to prevent
outsiders from moving in to exploit the situation. The good work
that has been done in recent years by members of the civil
community in Maluku, such as the Bakubae movement, must also be
maintained and encouraged.

In the years following the January 1999 incident, Indonesians
and the world saw what responsible civil leaders with wisdom and
understanding of local conditions could achieve to resolve even
the most stubborn and complicated of conflicts. Without the
selfless involvement of Maluku's religious and community leaders
it is doubtful whether even the current level of unease and
sporadic violence could have been achieved.

During these days of campaigning for the July 5 presidential
elections, Indonesians have heard much talk about new governments
helping the people. Ambon has shown what an effective civil
community can accomplish to resolve its problems, provided those
who are in power cooperate and do not stand in its way.