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Separatist
flags hoisted in Indonesian eastern islands
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Kyodo
News Service
Thu
Apr 25, 2002 4:17 |
JAKARTA, April 25 (Kyodo) - Despite
strong warnings by Indonesia's security forces, a number of flags
of the separatist Christian-based South Maluku Republic (RMS) were
hoisted Thursday morning in the country's riot-torn eastern
islands of Maluku to commemorate the movement's anniversary, the
state-run news agency Antara said.
Antara reported that the flag hoisting raised anger among
thousands of people, who took to the streets demanding security
forces take action against RMS supporters who hoisted the flag.
Meanwhile, a Maluku correspondent of the Jakarta-based Elshinta
private radio station said at least 15 RMS flags were set aloft by
balloons, but were immediately shot down by police.
According to Antara, the situation in the Maluku provincial
capital of Ambon was calm but tense.
Hundreds of police and soldiers were seen throughout the city,
while schools and offices allowed their students and employees to
go home after 9:30 a.m., when the flags were hoisted.
At least six bomb explosions occurred in the city, Antara said,
but there were no casualties,
On Wednesday night, the Maluku civil emergency government
announced that at least 10 RMS-related people have been arrested.
Last week, local government investigators in Maluku, which
consists of the provinces of Maluku and North Maluku, arrested
Alex Manuputty, chairman of the pro-independence group Maluku
Sovereignty Front (FKM), who planned to lead the flag-hoisting
ceremony, on the charge of subversion.
The civil emergency government has banned foreigners, including
overseas journalists and foreign correspondents in Indonesia and
nongovernmental organizations but excluding foreign government
representatives, from entering the islands from April 11 until the
end of this month.
A nighttime curfew has also been imposed since Saturday.
The South Maluku Republic was declared on April 25, 1950 by former
soldiers from Maluku who had fought for Dutch colonialists and did
not want to join the new Republic of Indonesia.
The rebellion was quickly put down, but many RMS supporters left
for the Netherlands. Some people claiming to be RMS supporters
were involved in train hijackings and other incidents in the
Netherlands in the late 1970s.
Conflicts between Muslims and Christians in the Malukus have
dragged on for three years. According to official estimates, the
discord has claimed more than 5,000 lives from both the Christian
and Muslim sides.
In a bid to calm tensions, the government declared a state of
civil emergency in the two provinces on June 28, 2000. Christians
and Muslims signed a peace accord on Feb. 14.
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