At least three killed in fresh attack in Maluku<\/p>\n
AMBON, Maluku (JP): At least three people were killed in an
\nattack on Kase village, Buru island, Maluku, on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The head of the Maluku Protestant Church Synod, Rev. Broery
\nHendriks, said he received reports the village had been attacked
\nat about 11 a.m.<\/p>\n
"I reported this to the civil emergency leaders and they are
\nhandling it," he said.<\/p>\n
There was no immediate word from civil emergency leaders on
\nthe incident.<\/p>\n
Some of the attackers reportedly arrived in two boats from the
\neastern part of Kase village, while others came from the
\ndirection of Nanfae Hau village, about nine kilometers from Kase
\nvillage.<\/p>\n
The three fatalities were identified as Edison Lesnussa, 13,
\nJohn Lesnussa, 53, and Frederick Lesnussa, 67, all of whom died
\nof gunshot wounds.<\/p>\n
Four people were reported after the attack. They were
\nidentified as Theresa Dias Leskona, 37, and her two children, 3-
\nyear-old Yongky Leskona and 5-year-old Alvin Leskona, and Yusuf
\nLesnussa, 23.<\/p>\n
Residents of Kase village fled to the jungle and it is unclear
\nif the four people reported missing are still in hiding.<\/p>\n
Seven soldiers and policemen where manning the security post
\nin Buru Selatan when the attack took place, Rev. Broery said.<\/p>\n
"We fear there will be more attacks because it is obvious the
\nattackers wanted to occupy the village," he said.<\/p>\n
Navy<\/p>\n
Meanwhile the Navy is continuing to increase sea patrols
\naround North Maluku and Maluku despite the relative calm in these
\nareas over the past month.<\/p>\n
A Navy official said that last month at least two ships
\nallegedly being used to smuggle weapons into North Maluku were
\nseized.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Navy Eastern Fleet Commander First Adm. Sutarto,
\nspeaking after a meeting at the Maluku governor's office on
\nSaturday, said one ship seized off the Tahuna islands, North
\nMaluku, was carrying four guns and dozens of sharp weapons.<\/p>\n
The Navy also found another ship believed to have been
\ninvolved in an attack on dozens of refugees off Ternate near the
\nHalmahera islands.<\/p>\n
"We found the ship floating in the waters off Halmahera but
\nthe crew had already fled," Sutarto said.<\/p>\n
Two Philippine ships with a total of 40 crewmen were also
\nseized last week for illegally fishing in the waters off North
\nMaluku.<\/p>\n
"The 40 crewmen were handed over to the authorities in North
\nMaluku and after coordination with related parties the men were
\nsent back home, but their ships remain impounded," he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. I Made Yasa
\nwarned there were parties attempting to spark a separatist
\nmovement in the Malukus, adding that there had been reports about
\nplans to raise the flag of the Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM) on
\nApril 25.<\/p>\n
However, FKM has not been able to attract much support for its
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
"We refuse to support separatism because it would mean
\nbuilding a state within an established state. Such a movement is
\nobsolete," Amboina Diocese Bishop Mandagi said.<\/p>\n
In North Maluku, Antara reported that 17 journalists from the
\nprint and broadcast media launched a boycott of North Maluku
\ncivil emergency chief Governor Muchyi Effendi.<\/p>\n
The journalists are demanding an explanation of why Governor
\nMuchyi banned two private television stations -- TPI and RCTI --
\nfrom covering the news in North Maluku.<\/p>\n
Three other local newspapers have also been warned about their
\nreports.<\/p>\n
The ban was issued in civil emergency ruler decree No.02\/PDS-
\n0906 on March 24. (edt\/49)<\/p>",
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