Camelia Pasandaran & Anita Rachman – With no answers forthcoming on the cause of the deadly violence in Ambon more than a week ago, human rights activists on Wednesday questioned whether the police were serious about uncovering the truth.

Bonar Tigor Naipospos, deputy chairman of the Setara Institute for Freedom and Democracy, said the police appeared reluctant to move the investigation forward and find the masterminds of the violence that broke out on Sept. 11.

"They might think that if they continue the legal process, they could be accused of taking sides, which could lead to more conflict," he said. "They might also think that time will heal the wounds and if the police get actively involved in the conflict, this might only heat things up."

The violence in Ambon was sparked by rumors that began to spread after a motorcycle taxi driver died in a traffic accident. The driver, a Muslim, died from his injuries before he could reach a hospital, but a text message that went viral fueled false reports that he had been tortured and killed by Christians.

A violent clash ensued between two groups, one of which is believed to have included the deceased's family, after his funeral. Eight people were killed and 67 were injured.

In the wake of the violence, more provocative text messages began circulating in East Java urging Muslims to go to Ambon to wage jihad, or holy war.

A National Police spokesman, Anton Bachrul Alam, said earlier this week that an investigation was still in progress, although police had yet to name any suspects.

"The investigators are still gathering evidence and giving assurances to the family of the [driver] that [his death] really was an accident," he said.

But Bonar said the police needed to widen their investigation to identify the root cause of the violence. By limiting their focus on keeping the peace, he added, the police were almost guaranteeing that eventually similar violence would occur in the area.

Indria Fernida, deputy chairwoman of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), said the police should make the results of their investigation available to the public, to prevent confusion about what caused the conflict.

"It is important for the police to effectively perform their intelligence role," she said. This, she added, would help detect any future conflicts at an early stage.

Al Araf, program director of human rights watchdog Imparsial, said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono must ensure that the masterminds behind the violence were brought to justice. "If he fails to do this, suspicions among the people of Ambon will remain," Al Araf said.

Semuel Waileruny, a human rights activist in Ambon, said the police inaction had prompted his organization, Tamasu, to conduct its own investigation. He said he and fellow activists had gone to the scenes of clashes and interviewed locals, including witnesses to the violence.

"There's something peculiar about the violence," Semuel said. "Is there something more behind it all?"

He said people in Ambon wanted the police to resolve the case quickly. The activist said he was optimistic that all parties would accept the results of a thorough police investigation. "If the police could arrest those who provoked the incident, I am sure people could accept it," he said.

Setara's Bonar said the police needed to investigate thoroughly "as there are people trying to take advantage of the situation" in an effort to reignite the religious violence in Maluku that killed thousands of people between 1999 and 2002.

"While it is important to solve conflict through reconciliation, it is also important to solve the case legally. This would deter people from sending provocative messages in the future."