FOR THE SHAKE OF AMBON "MANISE"

In January 19,1999 Ambon and Maluku no longer become the city of "Manise" due to sectarian conflict among the local groups. Law and order was crippled, society was polarized into groups. Thus the violence become landscape of everday life in the city, and its really humanitarian tragedy. In the mids of these situation, Ambon Express as one of the latest news paper in the region exist. Actually from the name itself is not considering as new newspaper, because long before that there already exist the similar name which so called "Suara Maluku". Its expanding of Java Post Group, one of big local newspaper in Java Island. In fact they (two newspaper) are same, it is under one company, Java Post Group. But it can be said also that they are very different from each other, in sense that each group has its own managerial system. As Eriyanto stated, in the article entitled “Media dan Konflik (Media and Conflict)” that "Suara Maluku newspaper is being separated into two groups, such as, "Suara Maluku" and "Ambon Express".

It happens that since the social conflict spread out around the area, the society break through into different sectarian groups and people divided themselves according to the religion they belong to. Those who come from Muslim may not go to Christian community, and vice versa. Each group cannot interact or communicate each other and really being isolated from other group. This kind of situation gives great impact to the local media/newspaper especially in publishing daily information. They cannot publish the newspaper because the area was being banned by its own group not to enter into other area. However it is more complicated for the journalist especially for those who come from Muslim community to do their work normally because the main office of the Newspaper is located in Kampung (village)Halong Atas, one of Christian community. Instead of being banned from each group, some of their Muslim colleagues choose to establish Ambon Ekspress, and some are decided to leave Maluku island. For the group who established "Ambon Express", they continue their work by becoming freelance in other media,such as, Forum Keadilan Magazine, Republika, Jawa Pos, ect. But it is not take so long for them to go back to their first community to form their own newspasper, which they name it "Ambon Express".

To implement their idea, in following day, May 1999, the writer together with Machfud Waliulu (Vice General Manager/Chief of Finance Suara Maluku), Elly Sutrahitu (GM Suara Maluku) and Darmosius Sosebeko (Editorial Suara Maluku) made the meeting which was scheduled by Jawa Pos group. There were also the boss of Jawa Pos Dahlan Iskan and the director HM. Alwi Hamu. The result was agreement to establish a new newspaper, "Ambon Ekspress", so that the journalist can continuously express their idealism.

Ambon Ekspress first publication was on 12 July 1999 with the press license (SIUPP) from Junus Yosfia ni 1574/MENPEN/SIUPP/1999, 30 July 1000. The umbrella of the company was PT. Ambon Press Intermedia. The first time, Ambon Ekspress was located in the boarding house of Jalan Baru no 6, Ambon. Dahlan Iskan was elected as the Chair leader, meanwhile main commissioner HM. Alwi Hamu and director Syamsu Nur. The director of the company was Wachmud Waliulu, S.E, editor in chief is Drs. Ahmad Ibrahim, vice of chief editorial Ongki Anakoda, S.H and Hamid Kasim, S.E as the redactor.

Started as weekly magazine, Ambon Ekspress was printed in Makassar under collaboration with the printing company of Harian Fajar, Makasar. The oplah was 2.500 pieces.

The articles were sent from Ambon by fax and email, edited in Makasar, and after printed to be sent via the plane or express boat PT. Pelni. During first and half year Ambon Ekspress was quickly improved. And on Tuesday, May 10, 2001, Ambon Ekspress officially became daily and printed black and white in Ambon.

Since the beginning, Ambon Ekpress has great concern to the local issues including the previous conflict in Ambon. Some political figures stated that Ambon Ekspress is “in purpose” to provoke the society who are being trapped by the conflict. Coincidently, Ambon Ekspress who created by Muslim journalist was on the position of Suara Maluku competitor. Ambon Ekspress also signified as Islam representative newspaper.

During its consistency, press in Maluku always become the spot of the sample of conflict. Press also often to be positioned as the black goat. Furthermore, Suara Maluku-Ambon Ekpress case also positioned as the part of conflict lengthening. Though most of them understood hat the conflict was caused of many players involved. That is why in order to find the better composition of opinion, there should be certain indicator, so that the provocation standard from the media could be seen clearly, as well as the case of Ambon Ekspress.

In the meeting which was held at Hotel Salak, Bogor, February 2001, facilitated by Aliansi Jurnalis Indepen (AJI) Indonesia, under collaboration with the Asian of Foundation and BBC London, the attendance were from 42 journalist and the leaders of local mass media from Maluku and North Maluku. This meeting also attended by the Head of Press Board Atmakusumah and some other leaders, like a sociologist Dr. Imam Prasodjo, from Universitas Indonesia, Kapuspen TNI MArsekal Muda Gratio Usodo, Munir from human right activist watch, Maluku governor Dr. M. Saleh Latuconsina and Jawa Pos group boss Dahlan Iskan. That was the ‘judgment day’ of Ambon Ekspress.

During the event, the writer explained that “too subjective if it is said that Ambon Ekspress daily is neutral or not provoked during the conflict. All people realize that the conflict can caused social damage including our social systems, like the government, private sector, army/police, and mass media. Conflict exist not because of the media since it is happened before reported.”

In 2001 the following meeting was held in Surabaya, there the idea came up to combine this two media between Ambon Express and Suara Maluku. They decided that both have their own office but then the articles were united. The printing company (Suara Maluku has Harris mark and Ambon Ekspress has Collor Web mark), was placed on the neutral location. With this idea, the negative image of the conflict amongst media in Maluku will be eliminated. But, this idea was dropped down. Ambon had already become fragmented into sectarian groups based on the ‘religious’ issue, no neutral place. With his headache, Dahlan Iskan said, “How if we unite the machine and be called Al-Harris. Principally, machine has no religion, only human being has it?”(Rhoma Dwi Aria Yuliantri)