He identifies three groups, each with their own political agenda and each playing a destructive role. The first group consists of military groups and residual networks from the old regime. These are often referred to as the dark forces or dirty hands . Their agenda is to keep the situation in Maluku on the boil as part of their campaign to undermine the position of both President Wahid and Vice-President Megawati. The third group consists of the emerging vigilante gangs from both sides who benefit from the continuing crisis.
Violence is their hallmark, their raison d etre .
Despite this bleak reality, efforts to promote peace and dialogue among the warring parties are gradually beginning. Several initiatives at grassroots level have emerged with varying degrees of success. Unless people can shake hands at the grassroots again, solutions imposed from the top are bound to fail.