INTOLERANCE MUST BE BURIED TO REVIVE PEACE IN TOLIKARA

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 25 (Antara) - Fears that people's unity and integrity could be possibly disrupted are reasonable if people start reacting with intolerance on some of the most sensitive issues of religion, race, group and ethnicity (SARA).         During the regime of former president Soeharto, SARA issues were compared to 'dangerous' mines that could explode when hit. Therefore, religious, racial, group and ethnicity enmity should be buried at the bottom of the earth.         So, irrespective of who it is who tried to stoke SARA issues and offend people, the government should not hesitate to uphold the law if it wants to maintain peace and prevent other extremists to take the law in their own hands.          Regarding the Tolikara incident, the government hold up the majesty of the law and track down the perpetrators behind the incidents. Religious, community and tribal leaders can jointly agree to maintain unity, but if the government failed to act against the perpetrators, the problem can emerge yet again.

POLICE URGED TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST PERPETRATORS OF TOLIKARA INCIDENT

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, July 20 (Antara) -- Muslim organizations have appealed to the National Police (Polri) to take action against the perpetrators of the conflict that occurred in Tolikara district in Papua last Friday.          During an Eid prayer service on Friday, Muslims were forced to disperse, while kiosks and an Islamic house of prayer (mushola) were set on fire.          "All perpetrators of the incident must be punished and its victims, protected," Romahurmuziy, the chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) of the Surabaya Congress, said on Sunday.          The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) deplored the incident, as well.          "We regret the violent acts of a number of members of the Evangelical Church of Indonesia (GIDI) against Muslims who were performing the Eid Fitr prayer," the chairman of the Fatwa Commission of the MUI for Lebak district in Banten, Baijuri, stated on Monday.          A number of people were shot and wounded when police tried to stop a mob from attacking Muslims performing their Eid Fitr morning prayers at a mosque in Karubaga, the capital of the Tolikara regency in Papua. The mob had also set afire 54 small kiosks.

BIMA CLASH NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED INDEPENDENTLY

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Dec 26 (ANTARA) - While an investigation into  bloody clashes between security forces and local people  that claimed the lives of nine people in Mesuji, Lampung province, was still in progress, another incident involving police and residents happened  in Bima district, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), on Saturday, leaving to  two locals dead.         Many quarters, including chairman of the Muhammadiyah Islamic organization Din Syamsuddin, legislators, mining officials  and a  legal aid institute (LBH), urged the government to investigate the Bima incident thoroughly in order to uphold the law.          "Law enforcers must find the parties responsible for the incident because the violence constituted  human rights violations ," Din Syamsuddin said after inaugurating a mosque in Jepara, Central Java, on Sunday.          Din said he was sad about the incident because it had claimed the lives of people. Moreover, the dead victims included a member of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's second largest Muslim organization which claims to have about 25 million members.          He said the clash between police and demonstrators began with the rejection by residents of the presence of a mining firm in their area. Law enforcers should settle the problem of people's aspirations  through dialogs or through  a discussion forum, he said.          "I hope clashes  like those in Bima will not also happen  in other regions," Din said.           The same hope was aired by a top Democratic Party legislator  who said the incident should become an important lesson in enforcing the law. "I have instructed  Democratic Party faction members in the House of Representatives hailing from NTB to visit the location where the clash happened and make consolidation and coordination with the local government," chairman of the Democratic Party faction  in the House of Representatives (DPR), Mohammad Jafar Hafsah, said.          Mohammad Jafar Hafsah said that as chief of the Democratic party faction in the House, he had consolidated especially with members of the House commission VII from the Democratic Party overseeing mines and energy affairs in an effort to get a comprehensive report on the Bima clash.          Chief of NTB's Energy and Mineral Resources Office Eko Bambang Sutedjo said meanwhile that residents' demand for the revocation of the mining license (IUP) issued by Bima district Head  Ferry Zulkarnaen should be settled through  legal channels.          The local people's demand for the revocation of the IUP could be settled through a legal process, namely a review by the State Administrative Court (PTUN).          "Any opposition to a government policy should be settled through  legal channels, not through street protests which always  tend to become  anarchic," Eko said.          A clash between police and demonstrators broke out at Sape Ferry port in Bima district, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), on Saturday claiming two lives. It happened when security officers tried to forcefully drive away a group of local residents who had occupied the ferry port since December 20, 2011.          The residents who called themselves  members of an anti-mining front, had occupied the port and demanded that the Bima district head retract his  decision to allow mining firm PT Sumber Mineral Nusantara to operate in the district on the ground the company's operations had damaged the environment.          During the clash,  police confiscated 20 machetes, four crescent blades, 10 spears, some large and small stones and Molotov cocktails as evidence. Apart from that, the police also seized  gasoline in "aqua" bottles, a black bag, a Carry Pick-Up car, a motorcycle, a megaphone and other public speaking equipment.          The local police chief said after the demonstrators had left the scene, an angry mob had also torched the Lambu police precinct and  several other government office buildings.           They vandalized the office of the Lambu police precinct and set fire to his official residence, four  police dormitories, and a Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) building.          In addition, they also vandalized a forestry office, a youth and sports office and 25 houses.         Until Sunday, police had named 47 people suspect over the clash in which, according to police,  two people were killed, but another source said there were three fatalities.          "The Bima police resort has so far questioned 47 suspects. They are members of the Anti-Mining People's Front who were involved in blockading actions and arson," spokesman of the National Police Insp. Gen. Saud Usman Nasution said on Sunday.          He said police investigators would interrogate each of the suspects for their alleged part in the violent acts which  included the occupation of  the Sape ferry port, vandalizing and setting fire to public facilities.          "All the suspects will be interrogated about their involvement in the incident," he said.          Yet, a legal aid institute urged the government to set up an independent investigation team because the clash involved security officers and demonstrators.         LBH Keadilan (Legal Aid for Justice Institute) called on President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to set up an independent team to soon investigate the Bima case in  which three people were killed.          LBH Keadilan in a press statement made available to ANTAR on Sunday said the independent team should be composed of civilians and academics. Without an independent team, it was feared the law would not  enforced fairly.          The bloody Bima clash which has added to the  number of violent police-people confrontations  happening in the country, is a serious case that has to be solved with the partcipation of  independent investigators, it said.          In order to prevent the occurrence of the same conflict in other areas, LBH Keadilan called on the president to form a special team to settle  conflicts over natural resources and agrarian issues. Without a special team, natural resource related conflicts would continue to take place, it said.          (T.A014/B/HAJM/14:50/f001) 26-12-2011 15:00:

TRIBAL CHIEFS ASKED TO HELP SETTLE CONFLICT IN PAPUA

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 4 (ANTARA) - Police will invite tribal chiefs of the conflicting parties to help cool down and overcome recent communal clashes which claimed the lives of 19 people in Ilaga, Puncak district, Papua.          "The situation in Papaa has been conducive. In Puncak Jaya, we are inviting tribal chiefs to sit together," National Police Spokesman Insp. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam said here on Wednesday.          According to Anton, the security situation in Ilaga, Puncak district, Papua, is returning to normal after unrest. Therefore,  police are planning to invite customary leaders as part of their efforts to prevent certain conflicting parties from taking revenge against their enemies.          "With the meeting among the tribal chiefs we hope they would not attack with each other. Yet, legal process should go on," the police spokesman said.           Police confirmed Monday that 19 people had been killed in a clash in Kimak hamlet in Ilaga, Puncak district in the eastern province of Papua.  "A communal clash has occurred in Ilaga, Papua, on July 30 and 31 2011 leaving 19 people dead and one wounded,"  Anton Bachrul Alam.           Relating the chronology of the events, Anton said the clash occurred after the local General Election Commission (KPU) refused to accept documents from Simon Alom who was seeking to run for district head on a reason that the party that initially supported Simon had withdrew its support.           In the meantime, Legal and Security Coordinating Minister Djoko Suyanto said that the government through the law enforcers would take action against parties violating the law in connection with the communal clashes in Puncak .          "Those who caused damage, hurt or killed people will face the law based on the degree of their guilt," Djoko said saying the relevant agencies were investigating the case. Police had taken the situation under control, however.          The government needs to  verify all data and reports on the latest bloody conflict."We still need to verify the data on the incident," Julian Aldrin Pasha, the presidential spokesman, said.         Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs  Djoko Suyanto has taken some steps to deal with the problem, Julian.           All results of field investigation would be submitted to concerned authorities and then reported to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono through Minister Djoko Suyanto, according to Julian.          "I think the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs will explain about the incident," Julian said.          On Tuesday, Djoko reported to the president the incident. According to the chief security minister the clashes   were fueled by discontent with regard to regional head elections. Therefore, he called on political parties to provide political education for their cadres and supporters.          Two groups of residents in Puncak Jaya district, Papua were involved in communal clashes in the village of Kimak, Ilega region, claiming the lives of 19 people. They were hit by arrows and stones.          Relating the chronology of the events, National Police Spokesman Insp. Gen. Anton Bachrul Alam said the clash occurred after the local General Election Commission (KPU) refused to accept documents from Simon Alom who was seeking to run for district head on a reason that the party that initially supported Simon had withdrew its support.          "Thomas Tabuni as the local chief of Gerindra Party who initially supported Simon Alom had withdrawn his support. Due to it Simon Alom's supporters were angry and then attacked Thomas Tabuni supporters causing a clash," he said.          Police have already tried to drive away the rival groups to prevent further conflicts but the situation became uncontrollable after the two groups used arrows and stones to attack each other.          "A police Mobile Brigade member namely Second Brigadier Frans has even suffered an arrow wound though it was not serious. Due to the clash two people were killed and another one wounded," he said.           On July 31, on the same location, a clash occurred again leaving the house of Thomas Tabuni, his official home and a house damaged while the KPU office had been burned.           Anton said 13 supporters of Thomas Tabuni and four of Simon Alom supporters were killed in the incident.           "To support police in Ilaga totaling 11 and Brimob members embedded there, the Papua regional police command has already sent a platoon of Brimob members there," he said.           Deputy House Speaker Priyo Budi Santoso  asked police to act soon to prevent the communal clashes to escalate into wider horizontal conflict.           Besides, he also called on the conflicting parties who were involved in the communal clashes to restrain themselves. He said that the people should not easily be influenced by the conflict between regional head candidates who are only fighting to gain a political position.           "The conflict among the political elite about the regional head election in the district should not cause the local people to suffer," Priyo Budi Santoso.***3*** (T.A014/A/H-NG /f001  ) 04-08-2011 10:43:1

PEOPLE ASKED TO HELP END TARAKAN CLASHES

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Sept 29 (ANTARA) - The government has called on the people, including security officers, religious leaders, tribal community chiefs, government officials and the media to help calm down emotions and settle the communal clashes that have caused the death of at least five locals in Tarakan city, East Kalimantan.          "I am saddened by  the occurrence of the community violence in East Kalimantan. I have received a report from the police chief and communicated with the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) commander and with the East Kalimantan governor," President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday.          The president therefore asked that the handling of the case should be carried out seriously to prevent a repetition of the incident that occurred in Sampit, Central Kalimantan, ten years ago, where Dayak natives and ethnic Madurese were involved in a conflict that claimed many lives.          "I hope it will not happen again. The efforts made to handle the incident should be concerted, officers should make concrete efforts by getting down into the field," the president said.          The president asked for concerted efforts by the central government, local government, the TNI and Police. He called on the local communities which were involved in the brawls to restrain. Apart from that the president also asked the media to help the government in settling the conflict by providing balanced reports and avoiding reports that could incite widespread escalations.          Five people were reportedly killed in clashes between two groups of Tarakan (East Kalimantan) residents that began last Sunday night and continued until Wednesday morning.  "Four were killed in the brawls that have been going on from last Sunday until early this Wednesday. So the  death toll of the incident since it broke out on Sunday night has reached five," a police officer who refused to be named said here on Wednesday.           According to several residents, the brawls had quickly spread to other parts of the city.  On Tuesday morning, the clashes occurred in certain  areas in Tarakan city. "At the beginning, the clash took place in a suburb, namely on Jalan Gajah Mada and Jalan Yos Sudarso. But this morning the fighting had spread to Selimut Dalam, closer the city center," Nanda, a resident of  the Selimut Dalam area, said.          One of the rival groups has since Tuesday morning also blocked access to the airport and Juwata seaport.          East Kalimantan Governor Awang Faroek Ishak said the community clashes in Tarakan City were not related to rivals between two certain ethnic groups.  "The residents' clashes were not related to conflict between certain ethnic groups. This is a pure crime," Governor Awang Faroek Ishak said at Samarinda airport when he was to fly to Tarakan Wednesday afternoon.          He was flying to Tarakan together with the chief of Resort Military Command 0901, Aji Suranata Kesuma. "Together with the Resort Military Command 0901 chief and the East Kalimantan Police chief, I will coordinate with the Tarakan local government officials, religious leaders, tribal chiefs and other community figures to prevent the clashes from escalating," the governor said.          The governor said that the community conflict in Tarakan must be settled soon so that the people would return to their daily activities. "I hope this problem would be solved as soon as possible so that the people would regain their normal life and the economy which happened to be disturbed could be revived," he said.          The governor said that he also hoped leaders of the two rival groups would restrain and leave the matter to police. After all, police have held actors in this case so that there was no need to continue the conflict.          Awang also admitted that security officers had taken control of the situation in the Tarakan City. "Security officers, both from police and the military, have taken control of the situation and localized or isolated the two rival groups in two separate locations, one in the Selimut area and the other in Simpang Empat zone," he said.          In the meantime, the National Police Headquarters under the deputy to the police chief for operational affairs (Deops) Insp. Gen. Soenarko, is directly supervising military operations to control the situation in the conflict areas.          "Insp. Gen. Soenarko flew directly to Tarakan today to control the operations in the field," Police Deputy Spokesman Brig. Gen. I Ketut Untung Yoga Ana said.  Soenarko flew with the chairman of the South Sulawesi Family Association (IKSS) to Tarakan in an effort to coordinate efforts to control  situation there,"  he said.          Yoga said that the clashes should be stopped or calmed down because otherwise it would escalate. "The departure (of Soenarko to Tarakan) is to prevent possible further incident ahead and (to collect facts) he would report to the Police chief and the president," he said.           Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi had earlier reported to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over the latest developments of the communal clashes.          The home affairs told reporters before he met with the president on Wednesday that his ministry had sent its Conflict Management director to Tarakan. "I am concerned over the incident. I have called three times the East Kalimantan governor on the phone asking him to make serious efforts," the home minister said.          He said that the condition in Tarakan had actually returned to normal on Tuesday noon but it worsened again and the incident was repeated Tuesday night.          "We were there yesterday when the situation was already calm but it turned out that in some locations which were difficult to control, potential incidents still existed," he said.***1*** (T.A014/A/HAJM/17:58/a014) 29-09-2010 18:04:3