Army will only create more tension in Ambon, says Kontras

The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) says bringing the Indonesian Military (TNI) in to Ambon to restore order after the recent riots will only make things worse.

Groups of civilians in Ambon clashed last week following rumors that motorcycle taxi driver Darmin Saiman had died after being tortured. Three people died and 60 were injured during the resulting unrest.

“There is no need to send in the army as they will only increase tensions in Ambon,” Kontras coordinator Haris Azhar said Monday as quoted by tribunnews.com.

Haris added that the Ambonese could resolve their own problems without the support of armed forces.

“In fact, the army’s presence will cause disturbances to the situation there, which is just beginning to calm,” he said.