INDONESIAN POLICEMEN MURDERED IN NORTH MALUKU

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 002708 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, S/CT, DS/ICI/RFJ, DS/IP/EAP, DRL, EAP/MLS, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/CC, DS/IP/SC, DRL INR FOR CHARLIE ZENZIE, HEIDI PANETTA DOJ FOR CTS THORNTON, DAG SWARTZ DOJ/OPDAT FOR LEHMANN/ALEXANDRE/ BERMAN, DOJ/CTS FOR MULLANEY, ST.HILAIRE FBI FOR ITOSI/SSA SOLOMON E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2017 TAGS: PGOV PINS ASEC PTER PHUM ID SUBJECT: INDONESIAN POLICEMEN MURDERED IN NORTH MALUKU Classified By: Stanley Harsha, Acting Pol/C, for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D ). ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Unconfirmed media reports state two Indonesian National Police (INP) officers were stabbed to death in separate incidents in Tenate, North Maluku Province. One officer was killed on September 22, and the other on September 24 in a suspected dispute between police and military. The murders may be in retaliation for an earlier incident where police had attacked members of the Indonesian military who were found drinking alcohol at a bar. The murders set off a series of retributions by the police and the military. The situation is now calm with local police and military commanders vowing to investigate the situation. End Summary. ¶2. (C) The first murder occurred on Saturday night, September 22 over a personal dispute, according to media sources. The other murder occurred at approximately 1:00 a.m. on September 24. The murder on the 24th is linked to sweeps INP were conducting through night clubs and bars in Tenate, to enforce a prohibition on drinking alcohol during Ramadan, according to police sources. Sources told emboff the police entered a bar and found several members of the Indonesian military (TNI) drinking. Reportedly, words were exchanged between the two groups and an INP officer hit a TNI member with a beer bottle. Later, the TNI members assaulted an INP officer outside the police station, stabbing him to death. ¶3. (SBU) At 4:15 a.m. on the 24th, two TNI members were attacked and stabbed by unknown assailants as they disembarked from a ship in the Tenate port area, according to media sources. We could not confirm the extent of the injuries. The media also reported that later an INP officer was attacked by six unidentified people. We could not confirm the nature of this attack. ¶4. (SBU) The North Maluku Governor held a meeting with the local police chief and military commander to calm the situation, according to media reports. Both leaders vowed to stop members from further violence and to have joint patrols to monitor the situation in the town. The leaders also agreed to hold a joint iftar to celebrate Ramadan. Despite attempts to calm the situation, the INP still had armed guards in front of the police station and some of their homes. An INP spokesman stated that a full investigation would be conducted to find out what happened. HEFFERN