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They are part of a cache which
the militants will give up after Jakarta probes the Christian
separatists in Maluku
AMBON (Indonesia) - Muslims in the
riot-hit Indonesian province of Maluku yesterday surrendered
hundreds of weapons and explosives to the security authorities.
The Forum for Muslim Brotherhood of
Maluku, which also includes members of the hardline Laskar Jihad
Muslim militia, surrendered one cannon, 250 bombs, 100 petrol
bombs, four army-issue firearms and 15 homemade guns, plus
hundreds of rounds of ammunition, sabres and bayonets.
The weapons were handed over to
Maluku military commander Mustopo by the Forum's chairman Muhammad
Attamimi at a ceremony at a mosque in the Kebun Cengkeh Muslim
quarter of Ambon.
'These weapons are only part of
what we have, and the rest will be surrendered when the TNI and
the national police have met their promises to comprehensively
investigate the RMS,' Mr Muhammad said, referring to the mainly
Christian South Maluku Republic separatist movement. TNI is the
Indonesian armed forces.
Brigadier-General Mustopo welcomed
the weapons surrender and pledged that the military would support
the government's move 'to safeguard the unitary state of the
Republic of Indonesia', against any secession.
Laskar Jihad spokesman Abdul Hadi
was quoted by Kompas newspaper to have said that his force would
take part in the weapons surrender although he provided no
details.
He said that the move was in
response to a call by Vice-President Hamzah Haz.
Mr Hamzah, who also chairs the
largest Muslim party, this month visited detained Laskar Jihad
commander Jafaar Umar Thalib, sparking strong criticism from
politicians and parliamentarians.
An unidentified group attacked
Christian villages south of Ambon on April 28, killing 13 people.
The authorities accuse Jafaar of having incited the massacre
during a sermon.
Mr Abdul said the weapons surrender
was decided in view of the government's progress in meeting the
militia's demand for an investigation into the mainly Christian
Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM), which it accuses of fomenting the
sectarian violence. --AFP
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