RMS activist arrested, another missing in accident

Police in Central Maluku, arrested Leonard Hendrik, an alleged activist of the secessionist Republic of South Maluku (RMS) in Aboru village, Haruku Island, Sunday. --------------------- Leonard was on the list of RMS activists that police have been hunting following the June 29 incident when over 30 of them disguised as Cakalele traditional dancers unfurled an RMS flag in front of the Visiting President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Ambon. ------------------- Wearing an RMS shirt and being hand-cuffed, Leonard was shoved into a car that would take them to a nearby pier to be shipped to the provincial capital of Ambon. ------------------- Led by Maluku's police chief detective Sr. Comsr. Antam Novambar, 150 officers and eight speedboats were involved in the early morning manhunt operation. ------------------ Another suspect, Selvianus Malawauw who had been arrested earlier and police took along to find Leonard, went missing when one of the speedboats developed an engine trouble and sank after it was hit by high waves, police said. ------------------- Novambar said Selvianus, with his hands still handcuffed, when missing in the darkness when everybody on the troubled boat started jumping for their lives. But the authorities could not tell on the suspect's fate. JP/M. Azis Tunny

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