Oktovianus Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Ambon
The Army's Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) will hold
training exercises in the Maluku provincial capital of Ambon in
July in a bid to help end the prolonged conflict and restore
security and order in the restive city, says Kostrad Commander Lt.
Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu
"The week-long exercises will involve a battalion, or a
brigade, of Kostrad personnel from all units aimed at anticipating
various security, defense and sectarian problems that have caused
great suffering for the local people.
Asked whether the exercises had something to do with the
government's plan to dissolve the South Maluku Republic (RMS)
secessionist movement and the proindependence Maluku Sovereignty
Forum (FKM) and expel militant group Laskar Jihad, Ryamizard
insisted that the military had its own interest in creating peace
in the province, which is part of the unitary state of Indonesia.
"We deplore the prolonged conflict that has brought
suffering to the local people," he said, adding that the
conflict that first erupted in January 1999 has claimed thousands
of lives, displaced hundreds of thousands of others and damaged
vital assets and public buildings in the city.
Kostrad also held a similar military exercise in Poso, Central
Sulawesi, last July, where only weeks later conflicting factions
signed the peace agreement in Malino, South Sulawesi.
Maluku authorities under the state of civil emergency have
failed to enforce the Malino peace deal and the central
government's directives because of poor coordination between the
governor, the local military and the local police.
Despite the peace deal, the Maluku authorities have been unable
to dissolve the RMS and FKM and to expel Laskar Jihad from the
province.
He said the military had deployed one battalion to the
Pattimura Military Command and had no plan to send further
reinforcements.
Ryamizard, who was accompanied by Army's Special Force (Kopassus)
Commander Maj. Gen. Amirul Isnaeni, was scheduled to meet with
Governor Saleh Latuconsina, Brig. Gen. Mustopo, chief of the
Pattimura Military Command and Brig. Gen. Soenarko, chief of the
Maluku Provincial Police to discuss security and defense problems
in the province.