Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A delegation of legislators and community leaders from Maluku
commenced a road show in Jakarta on Monday voicing strong
rejection to the implementation of martial law in Maluku province.
"Ask the Maluku people, don't ask the leaders in Jakarta.
We know the real situation. Implementation of martial law will
only mean killing the Maluku people. We open no room for martial
law," said Maluku Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD)
speaker Lucky Wattimury during a meeting with House Commission I
for security affairs here.
Lucky was responding to conflicting ideas floating in Jakarta
about the possibility of imposing martial law in the territory
following the carnage in the village of Soya on April 28 that
claimed at least 12 lives.
The province has been torn by conflict among Christians and
Muslims since 1999 and the Soya incident has put the Feb. 12
Malino peace accord in jeopardy.
The delegation of 35 legislators, including four community
leaders and Ambon Mayor M. J. Papilaya was received by deputy
chairpersons of the commission Isaac Latuconsina and Astrid
Susanto, and legislators Paulus Widiyanto and Arif Mudatsir.
Astrid, who was among the politicians that agreed with the
implementation of martial law defended her opinion saying that she
feared there would be further casualties in the conflict.
"I am concerned about the possible increase of casualties.
This is a dilemma for us," she said.
Astrid said she was suspicious that there might be a third
party who played a key role in the conflict that would explain why
the violence continues.
Lucky Wattimury urged the government to evaluate the two-year
implementation of a civil emergency in Maluku.
According to him, with the presence of about 10,000 police and
military troops in Ambon, peace and order should have been able to
be maintained in the city.
He said that Ambon comprises three sub-districts and 50
villages. If the conflict-prone area is estimated to reach
two-thirds of the 50 villages, the number of security personnel
should have been sufficient to restore order.
"This is totally weird," Lucky said.
A. Polpoke, chairman of Ambon's chapter of the Indonesian
Ulemas Council (MUI), viewed the inability of security forces to
reveal the perpetrators as a conspiracy.
He said that people in Ambon were in need of security and
order, therefore the current civil emergency status should be
revoked.
Bishop of Ambon diocese P.C. Mandagi said that the people of
Ambon were convinced that peace and order had to return to their
homeland. They do not want a civil emergency or martial law.
Responding to their demand, Isaac Latuconsina said that
legislators in Jakarta felt the same way. "It has become a
major question for us why the security forces are unable to end
the conflict," he said.
After meeting the legislators, the delegation of Ambon leaders
are scheduled to meet President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Vice
President Hamzah Haz, House leaders, Assembly leaders, senior
ministers, the military chief and the police chief.
