IT was springtime in California when Alex Manuputty first witnessed television reports about violent riots in Ambon. He was, after all, a resident of California, USA, and as such was unable to attend the raising of the flag of the Republic of South Maluku this year. Yet, as founder of the Maluku Sovereignty Front on June 15, 2001 Alex had institutionalized the flag-raising practice which he began in the garden of his Kudamati, Ambon home. He