By Bernama,
Ternate, N Maluku : The National Police Headquarters has sent 100 Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel to Ternate in North Maluku where the political situation is heating up in a protracted dispute over the outcome of the province’s gubernatorial election, Antara news agency quoted a spokesman as saying.
“The National Police Headquarters has sent another 100 Brimob personnel from Kelapa Dua in Jakarta to join 200 Brimob personnel who arrived in Ternate early April,” the spokesman of the North Maluku provincial police, Commissioner Norrtjahyo, said on Thursday.
All the Brimob personnel were stationed in Ternate to assist the local police in protecting the city against possible security disturbances, he said.
He said in the past few weeks, supporters of the two rival camps in the dispute often took to the streets to protest against the outcome of the gubernatorial election.
But in general, security conditions in the city had remained stable and controllable, he said.
“No Ternate resident has so far evacuated to another area. This suggests that security conditions and peace and order in the city remain under control,” he said.
Local people were carrying out their daily activities as usual, he said.
The first post-gubernatorial election clash happened on April 3 between police and supporters of the rival gubernatorial candidates, who both claimed to be the winner of the poll.
In the clash, at least three civilians were shot. Seven others and eight police officers were injured.
The second confrontation occurred on April 14 when supporters of the Thaib Armayn/Gani Kasuba ticket demonstrated outside the North Maluku Provincial Legislative Assembly (DPRD) to protest an on-going meeting of the assembly’s consultative body which decided to issue a recommendation favouring the Abdul Gafur/Aburrahim Fabanyo camp.
A supporter of the Thaib Armayn/Gani Kasuba pair was hit by a rubber bullet.
Norrtjahyo said the clashes between police and demonstrators on Wednesday and a few days ago occurred as the latter became anarchic and ignored police’s warnings. Instead, they attacked the police.
“In facing demonstrations related to the dispute over the outcome of the gubernatorial election, we will remain neutral but will not tolerate any act of anarchy,” he said.