Bridging the Gap
The Indonesian Police Force in Maluku welcomed three New Zealand Police officers to Ambon recently to learn more about policing techniques. Their objective is to improve relations with the community, maintain order, and prevent conflict. Katie McKone reports from Ambon.
July 22, 2008
DRIVING into Ambon from the airport it is hard to believe that four years ago this peaceful, laidback region was the scene of anarchy and intense violence. Yet if one looks beyond the immediate facade, the scars still remain. Burnt-out mosques and churches are vivid reminders of the bloodshed. Many villages are still separated into strict Muslim and Christian zones.
Maluku experienced five years of continuous conflict beginning January 1999, fue
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