AMBON, Maluku (JP): The Army's Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad)
Commander, Lt. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, told soldiers deployed in
the sectarian hot spot of Maluku to shed their prejudices in favor
of their own ethnic groups and religions, and, instead, remain
loyal both to the state and the Indonesian Military (TNI).
"If you prefer fighting for your place of origin or
religion to being loyal to the state and the military, please
leave the service," Ryamizard told the troops of Kostrad's
503rd Battalion,which is currently deployed in the province, at
the Mahardika field in the city on Tuesday.
Ryamizard, who was accompanied by the Army's Special Forces
Commander, Maj. Gen. Amirul Isnaeni, and the commander of the 2nd
Kostrad Division, Maj. Gen. Djoko Santoso, was in Ambon to observe
the situation in the province in line with planned TNIexercises to
be held in the city in the near future.
"I appeal to the governor, who is in charge of the state
of civil emergency, the military commander and the provincial
police commander to consolidate internally both as regards locally
recruited security personnel and those who have been deployed
tothe province.
"They must be asked to decide whether they love
theIndonesian unitary state and the military or prefer to fight
for their religion and place of origin. Both the military and the
police must be neutral. The security forces are the nation's last
line in defending the country's sovereignty as well as protecting
its people regardless of their religion and ethnic
background," he asserted.
He said a firm stance was essential and discipline had to be
imposed by the Maluku authorities on all security personnel as
part of the effort to end the prolonged conflict in the province
that has claimed more than 6,000 lives and displaced more
than750,000.
"The provincial police chief and the military commander
are not my subordinates, but I nevertheless need to say
this," he added.
He explained that he has long striven to implant the idea of
neutrality in Kostrad personnel. All Kostrad soldiers were obliged
to give their first loyalties to the state and the military,
rather than to their religion, he said.
"Soldiers who are from Java, Aceh, the Batak country,
Ambon or Papua are all Indonesians and they are all equal. Those
who fail to adhere the neutrality principle will be drummed out of
the Army," he said.
Ryamizard's statement has come somewhat late, however, as it is
now generally realized that the military has contributed to the
prolonged conflict since it first erupted on Jan. 19, 1999.
The conflict spread quickly through the whole province and
North Maluku with the alleged involvement of security personnel,
both from the local police and military, taking sides depending on
their ethnicity and religion.
The involvement of security personnel may be deduced from the
widespread circulation of military standard issue weapons among
militiamen from the two conflicting sides, including the
radicalMuslim organization, Laskar Jihad.
The situation has been further complicated by frequent clashes
and firefights between military units, and between military units
and the local police.
All of this has rendered it even more difficult for the Maluku
authorities to enforce the law and put the Malino II peace deal,
which was intended to end the conflict, into effect.(49)
