Maluku – a journo’s view

Christchurch Star reporter Katie McKone observed NZ Police conducting community policing workshops on the island of Ambon in Maluku, as part of an Asia New Zealand Foundation scholarship.

Sergeant Mark Veale (left) and Senior Sergeant Anne-Marie Fitchett at the community policing workshop. Photo: Katie Mckone, Christchurch Star

Senior Sergeant Anne-Marie Fitchett, RNZPC, Sergeant Mark Veale, Auckland and Inspector Tim Haughey, based at the New Zealand Embassy in Jakarta, were in the once conflict-ridden region of Ambon for two weeks to run joint workshops with the Indonesian National Police (INP).

Katie’s description of the event gives a real sense of the atmosphere that she and the NZ officers experienced.

“A group of military-clad officers – laden with gold badges and lapels – stand to attention in the hot, stuffy room at the police headquarters. The sound of boots slamming together as they salute those higher up in the hierarchy echoes down the corridors. The ancient air conditioning machine groans in the corner, and the desks – resembling those out of a primary school classroom – are lined around the outside.”

Katie notes the enthusiastic welcome INP give NZ police officers. Chief Brigadier General Mohammad Guntur opened the ceremony saying he was pleased to have ‘new brothers and sisters to share experiences of community policing’. He continued, “We have many islands and cultures in Maluku, a similar situation to New Zealand I think, and we hope that this sharing of information will be useful in improving our capabilities.”

More than 120 INP officers from the Maluku province attended the workshops, to learn more about a form of policing which aims to pre-empt violence and serious crime.

Maluku experienced five years of continual conflict beginning January 1999, fuelled mainly by religious and ethnic rivalry. The population was segregated into strict Muslim and Christian zones, with murder, rioting and displacement widespread.

Four years on from the end of the conflict and the region has achieved a state of peace. However the scars are still visible. Burnt out churches and mosques remain as stark reminders of the bloodshed and many villages are still separated on the basis of religion.

It is hoped community policing will help avoid any future conflict of this nature through capacity development, cohesion and establishing relationships with the people.

Captain Aanamsyah of the Maluku Police plays an icebreaker game with Inspector Tim Haughey. Photo: Katie Mckone, Christchurch Star

General Mohammad said he hoped the visiting officers could advise his men about how to defuse disputes within villages, such as those over land ownership.
The INP was under the military for 32 years, and became independent in 1999 during the reform era. However the military ‘power’ mentality is proving difficult to shake, with trust between the community and the police still some way from being achieved.

Tim offered to ‘share experiences’ of community policing in New Zealand. He suggested that the Indonesian police can take from it what they want and adapt it to their local needs.

Katie questioned the NZ officers on their role in Maluku. “We are not here to tell them what they should be doing, but to share with the INP what our model of community policing entails,” said Mark. “We hope to learn from them as well.

“Internationally we are recognised as having a very good community policing programme,” he said.

“Community policing is about identifying risk and risk areas before anything eventuates – examining why the problems emerge in the first place.”

As well as Maluku, New Zealand officers have also implemented community policing workshops in the Banda Aceh, Papua and Sulawesi provinces.

New Zealand was the first foreign country to implement a community policing workshop in Papua last year.