New Violence in Indonesia's Ambon
Jakarta/Brussels, 17 May 2004
The Indonesian government should give urgent priority to identifying and prosecuting the snipers responsible for dozens of deaths recently in Ambon, the site of bitter communal violence between 1999
and 2001, lest new killings disturb fragile Muslim-Christian peace as national elections approach.
In a briefing published today, Indonesia: Violence Erupts Again in Ambon*, the International Crisis Group notes that many who live in the Moluccan island city believe the violence that erupted on 25 April, the anniversary of a short-lived Republic of the South Moluccas that tried to break away from Indonesia in 1950, was
provoked.
The Indonesian government should give urgent priority to identifying and prosecuting the snipers responsible for dozens of deaths recently in Ambon, the site of bitter communal violence between 1999
and 2001, lest new killings disturb fragile Muslim-Christian peace as national elections approach.
In a briefing published today, Indonesia: Violence Erupts Again in Ambon*, the International Crisis Group notes that many who live in the Moluccan island city believe the violence that erupted on 25 April, the anniversary of a short-lived Republic of the South Moluccas that tried to break away from Indonesia in 1950, was
provoked.
Two-thirds of some 40 people killed were Muslim, most shot to the head, neck, or chest. (Others died of machete wounds.) An additional 200, Muslims and Christians alike, were wounded, and close to 10,000 people were displaced.
The shootings took place after members of the pro-independence Front for Moluccan Sovereignty (known by its Indonesian initials FKM) held a ceremony at the house otheir group's exiled founder, Alex Manuputty, on the morning of 25 April. FKM, a largely Christian organisation, sees itself as continuing the struggle for the Republic of the South Moluccas. Manuputty had been detained on rebellion charges, but late last year, was released on a technicality and fled to the United States.
"The failure of the local police to prepare adequately for the 25 April commemorations was clearly a factor in this outbreak", said Robert Templer, ICG's Asia Program Director, "but the key questions are who were the snipers, and why did they open fire?" Those questions need to be answered in a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation, or the risk of another round of violence will be serious.
ICG discounts the government's quick presumption that the gunmen belonged to FKM or radical Muslim groups. The former have no sniper capacity, the latter would not have aimed at members of their own community. Much speculation has focused on members or ex-members of the security forces, who would have the necessary marksmanship. But no hard evidence at this stage supports any of the conspiracy theories that link the killings to the national presidential elections later this summer or local police-military rivalry.
The new ICG paper looks at how the violence began, the missteps made by officials in addressing it, and the different theories that have emerged to explain it. "The richness of the conspiracy theories is equalled by the paucity of hard facts", said Templer. "The longer the snipers remain unidentified, the greater the chance of a new round of violence in a sensitive place and at a sensitive time for Indonesia's democracy".
Contacts: Andrew Stroehlein (Brussels) +32 (0) 485 555 946
Jennifer Leonard (Washington) +1-202-785 1601
Read the report in full on our website: http://www.icg.org/
Indonesia: Violence Erupts Again in Ambon
Asia Briefing N°32
17 May 2004
OVERVIEW
The city of Ambon, in Maluku (Moluccas), which had been relatively quiet for two years, erupted in violence on 25 April 2004 after a small group of independence supporters held a ceremony commemorating the 54th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of the South Moluccas (Republik Maluku Selatan, RMS).
As of 5 May, the death toll had reached 38, about two-thirds of whom were Muslim. The fact that many were killed by sniper fire has led to a widespread belief that the violence was provoked. Two churches, a Muslim high school, the office of UN humanitarian agencies, and hundreds of homes were set on fire.
Close to 10,000 people have been displaced from their homes, adding to the some 20,000 displaced during earlier phases of the conflict who remain unable to return to their original dwellings. Until 5 May, the deaths and arson had been confined to Ambon city; religious and community leaders had kept many previously hard-hit communities elsewhere on the island and in the central Moluccan archipelago from
exploding, a tribute to the reconciliation efforts over the last two years. But that day, gunmen killed two people on Buru island, and there have subsequently been isolated outbreaks elsewhere, although the city itself has returned to a tense calm.
The longer it takes to uncover the perpetrators of this latest round of violence, the greater the danger of a new eruption.
The response of the Indonesian government at both local and national levels has been poor, from the short-sightedness of the police to the unhelpful portrayal of the violence in some quarters as Christian independence supporters against Muslim defenders of national unity. That said, the violence has been largely contained. What is needed now is a thorough, impartial, professional, and transparent investigation into the causes.
But as the Jakarta Post editorialised on 6 May, events in Ambon may be part of a larger political game.
The question as the 5 July presidential elections approach is whether anyone benefits by making trouble there. As usual, conspiracy theorists have been hard at work, and as usual, hard evidence is in extremely short supply.
Jakarta/Brussels, 17 May 2004
The shootings took place after members of the pro-independence Front for Moluccan Sovereignty (known by its Indonesian initials FKM) held a ceremony at the house otheir group's exiled founder, Alex Manuputty, on the morning of 25 April. FKM, a largely Christian organisation, sees itself as continuing the struggle for the Republic of the South Moluccas. Manuputty had been detained on rebellion charges, but late last year, was released on a technicality and fled to the United States.
"The failure of the local police to prepare adequately for the 25 April commemorations was clearly a factor in this outbreak", said Robert Templer, ICG's Asia Program Director, "but the key questions are who were the snipers, and why did they open fire?" Those questions need to be answered in a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation, or the risk of another round of violence will be serious.
ICG discounts the government's quick presumption that the gunmen belonged to FKM or radical Muslim groups. The former have no sniper capacity, the latter would not have aimed at members of their own community. Much speculation has focused on members or ex-members of the security forces, who would have the necessary marksmanship. But no hard evidence at this stage supports any of the conspiracy theories that link the killings to the national presidential elections later this summer or local police-military rivalry.
The new ICG paper looks at how the violence began, the missteps made by officials in addressing it, and the different theories that have emerged to explain it. "The richness of the conspiracy theories is equalled by the paucity of hard facts", said Templer. "The longer the snipers remain unidentified, the greater the chance of a new round of violence in a sensitive place and at a sensitive time for Indonesia's democracy".
Contacts: Andrew Stroehlein (Brussels) +32 (0) 485 555 946
Jennifer Leonard (Washington) +1-202-785 1601
Read the report in full on our website: http://www.icg.org/
Indonesia: Violence Erupts Again in Ambon
Asia Briefing N°32
17 May 2004
OVERVIEW
The city of Ambon, in Maluku (Moluccas), which had been relatively quiet for two years, erupted in violence on 25 April 2004 after a small group of independence supporters held a ceremony commemorating the 54th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of the South Moluccas (Republik Maluku Selatan, RMS).
As of 5 May, the death toll had reached 38, about two-thirds of whom were Muslim. The fact that many were killed by sniper fire has led to a widespread belief that the violence was provoked. Two churches, a Muslim high school, the office of UN humanitarian agencies, and hundreds of homes were set on fire.
Close to 10,000 people have been displaced from their homes, adding to the some 20,000 displaced during earlier phases of the conflict who remain unable to return to their original dwellings. Until 5 May, the deaths and arson had been confined to Ambon city; religious and community leaders had kept many previously hard-hit communities elsewhere on the island and in the central Moluccan archipelago from
exploding, a tribute to the reconciliation efforts over the last two years. But that day, gunmen killed two people on Buru island, and there have subsequently been isolated outbreaks elsewhere, although the city itself has returned to a tense calm.
The longer it takes to uncover the perpetrators of this latest round of violence, the greater the danger of a new eruption.
The response of the Indonesian government at both local and national levels has been poor, from the short-sightedness of the police to the unhelpful portrayal of the violence in some quarters as Christian independence supporters against Muslim defenders of national unity. That said, the violence has been largely contained. What is needed now is a thorough, impartial, professional, and transparent investigation into the causes.
But as the Jakarta Post editorialised on 6 May, events in Ambon may be part of a larger political game.
The question as the 5 July presidential elections approach is whether anyone benefits by making trouble there. As usual, conspiracy theorists have been hard at work, and as usual, hard evidence is in extremely short supply.
Jakarta/Brussels, 17 May 2004
Snipers Claim More Victims in Ambon
Monday, 03 May, 2004 | 13:37 WIB
TEMPO Interactive, Ambon, Maluku:Snipers have claimed more victims in Ambon as one person was shot dead and seven others were injured in several parts of Ambon on Saturday (1/5).
An Ambonese, Risakotta, was killed in Latuhalat village, Nusaniwe sub district on Saturday morning while seven others were injured from snipers’ shots and bomb blasts in Waringin Batugantung village, Nusaniwe sub district, on Saturday afternoon.
Up to Saturday, the conflict in Ambon has claimed 34 lives and left 238 people injured.
They mostly died and were injured by snipers’ shots, bomb blasts and fire wounds.
To date, 110 people have left the hospitals while 95 others are still being treated in seven hospitals in Ambon.
A total of 3,000 members of Maluku Police were deployed to search the house of Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM)/South Maluku Republic (RMS) chairman, Alex Manuputty, in Palang Merah, Benteng, Nusaniwe sub district, Ambon.
During the search, that was led by Maluku Police detectives and crime director, High Comm. Usman Nasution, the police found the wife, two children and a supporter of Alex Manuputty.
The police also seized several pieces of evidence, including Manuputty’s picture with “Freedom for the Moluccas People” and “Maluku Sovereignty Front” written on it.
Two RMS flags, one computer, a 2003 calendar containing the pictures of Manuputty and another FKM leader, Semy Wailaruni, leaflets of RMS’ figure Soumokil and a document containing the names and pictures of 295 FKM/RMS’ members were also seized in this search. (Mochtar Toewe/Yusnita/Jonatan Madiw-Tempo News Room)
http://www.tempointeractive.com/hg/nasional/2004/05/03/brk,20040503-01,uk.html _
Monday, 03 May, 2004 | 13:37 WIB
TEMPO Interactive, Ambon, Maluku:Snipers have claimed more victims in Ambon as one person was shot dead and seven others were injured in several parts of Ambon on Saturday (1/5).
An Ambonese, Risakotta, was killed in Latuhalat village, Nusaniwe sub district on Saturday morning while seven others were injured from snipers’ shots and bomb blasts in Waringin Batugantung village, Nusaniwe sub district, on Saturday afternoon.
Up to Saturday, the conflict in Ambon has claimed 34 lives and left 238 people injured.
They mostly died and were injured by snipers’ shots, bomb blasts and fire wounds.
To date, 110 people have left the hospitals while 95 others are still being treated in seven hospitals in Ambon.
A total of 3,000 members of Maluku Police were deployed to search the house of Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM)/South Maluku Republic (RMS) chairman, Alex Manuputty, in Palang Merah, Benteng, Nusaniwe sub district, Ambon.
During the search, that was led by Maluku Police detectives and crime director, High Comm. Usman Nasution, the police found the wife, two children and a supporter of Alex Manuputty.
The police also seized several pieces of evidence, including Manuputty’s picture with “Freedom for the Moluccas People” and “Maluku Sovereignty Front” written on it.
Two RMS flags, one computer, a 2003 calendar containing the pictures of Manuputty and another FKM leader, Semy Wailaruni, leaflets of RMS’ figure Soumokil and a document containing the names and pictures of 295 FKM/RMS’ members were also seized in this search. (Mochtar Toewe/Yusnita/Jonatan Madiw-Tempo News Room)
http://www.tempointeractive.com/hg/nasional/2004/05/03/brk,20040503-01,uk.html _