JAKARTA (JP): The government has established an independent
team to ensure an impartial investigation into the three years of
sectarian conflict in Maluku.
According to the decree on the inquiry team signed by President
Megawati Soekarnoputri on June 6, the team is tasked with
investigating at least nine major cases, ranging from a clash
between a resident and a public transportation driver on Jan. 19,
1999 -- which sparked the long-standing conflict betweenChristian
and Muslim communities in the province -- to a separatism movement
allegedly waged by groups linked to the South Maluku Republic.
Decree No.38/2002 was made public only on Thursday by the State
Secretariat, while the President is away on a two-week European
visit. Megawati left on Saturday, two days after she signed the
decree.
Several parties, including a cross-religion group spearheaded
by, among others, Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Hasyim Muzadi, had been
demanding since March that an investigative team be established.
The team is made up of 14 people of various backgrounds,
including government officials, human rights activists, religious
figures and politicians. Deputy to the Coordinating Minister for
Security and Political Affairs I Wayan Karya was named the
teamleader, with Bambang W. Suharto of the National Commission on
Human Rights the deputy.
Other prominent members include sociologist Paulus Wirutomo of
the University of Indonesia and criminologist Roni Nitibaskara,
who teaches at the National Resilience Institute.
The team will also focus on the presence of the hard-line
Laskar Jihad group fighting for Muslims in the province and the
alleged separatist movement waged by the Maluku Sovereignty Forum
(FKM).
The Maluku conflict has claimed over 6,000 lives and displaced
hundreds thousands of people.
The government has repeatedly tried to restore peace, including
by imposing a state of civil emergency that has been effective
since mid-2000.
Jakarta last facilitated peace talks in Malino in February
2002, which resulted in an agreement to end the conflict.
However, the fragile peace in the province after the signing of
the Malino agreement has been disrupted by a series of violence,
including an attack on the Christian village of Soya which left 12
people dead late in April.
Analysts have repeatedly said that the main problem in Malukuis
poor law enforcement, which they say provides loopholes for
certain groups to continue inciting unrest between Christians and
Muslims in the province.
The decree also requires that the team cooperate with the local
administration in Maluku, and report the result of its
investigation to the President twice a month.
The State Secretariat will finance the activities of the
independent team.
Meanwhile in Ambon, a battalion of Army Strategic Reserves
Command (Kostrad) has changed its duty from a rapid-reaction force
to regular troops.
Pattimura Military Commander Maj. Gen. Djoko Santoso said on
Thursday that the troops had been placed under his authority and
would serve as reserves.
Separately, Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Soenarko DA said the
police had wrapped up the file on the arson attack on the Ambon
governor's office in March, with three suspects named.
The police have also completed dossiers on four men accused of
hoisting the RMS separatist flag and will submit the case to the
local prosecutor's office as soon as possible. (49/dja)
Cases to be investigated
a. The Jan. 19, 1999 incident
b. The South Maluku Republic (RMS) issue
c. The Christian RMS issue
d. The Laskar Kristus issue
e. The Maluku Sovereignty Forum
f. The Laskar Jihad issue
g. Reports of forced conversion of religion
h. Reports of human rights violations
i. Other crimes related to the Maluku conflict