Four people killed in latest violence in Central Maluku<\/p>\n
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Fresh outbreaks of violence on Tuesday
\nleft at least four people dead and a number of houses burned in
\nthe Banda Islands of Central Maluku, 300 kilometers southeast of
\nhere, reports and sources said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Second class Sgt. Ranguli, speaking from the island's capital
\nof Neira, confirmed that four people were killed in the violence,
\none on the island of Hatta and another three on the island of
\nWalang. However, another account said the latter three deaths
\noccurred in Neira.<\/p>\n
Ranguli did not reveal the identities of the victims.<\/p>\n
Another source in Neira contacted from here, a paramedic who
\nidentified himself as Abdullah, could only confirm the one death
\non Hatta Island.<\/p>\n
Abdullah said another victim on Hatta sustained gunshot
\ninjuries, while a victim on Walang sustained slash wounds.<\/p>\n
Residents in Neira -- a predominantly Muslim town -- contacted
\nby The Jakarta Post said mobs set some 30 houses on fire on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
They said no churches were burned. Mobs did, however, remove
\nthe pews from the town's only church and vandalize them, they
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, they said the situation was calm. Ranguli
\nconfirmed this account.<\/p>\n
Ranguli said Maluku Military Commander Col. Karel Ralahalu
\narrived in Neira on Wednesday afternoon to assess the situation.
\nKarel also visited Hatta, an hour away by speedboat.<\/p>\n
There were no confirmed reports on what sparked the violence.<\/p>\n
However, the AFP reported on Wednesday, quoting Maluku Police
\nspokesman Maj. Philips Jekriel, that the violence was sparked
\nwhen police refused to give a local villager on Hatta Island a
\npermit to hold a marriage feast on Monday.<\/p>\n
The following day, several people stoned the home of a man who
\nthen filed a complaint with the police, it said.<\/p>\n
It was unclear how the victim, identified as Martin Manusa,
\nwas linked to the refusal to grant the permit -- but his
\ncomplaint led to the arrest of two attackers.<\/p>\n
The families and friends of the two arrested men then attacked
\nand torched three houses belonging to Manusa's relatives, leaving
\none person dead.<\/p>\n
In Maluku, recent communal conflicts with religious overtones
\nhave left close to 400 dead.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Antara reported on Wednesday that the situation in
\nAceh was calm after violence rocked Lhokseumawe, North Aceh, on
\nTuesday, leaving two dead.<\/p>\n
It reported, however, that a strike at the local legislature
\noffice by some 500 public bus drivers paralyzed the town for
\naround four hours.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by Yakob Hamzah, a representative from non-
\ngovernmental organization Iskandar Muda Legal Institute, the
\ndrivers complained to legislators about the violence on Tuesday
\nwhich left many of their vehicles damaged.<\/p>\n
In the South Sulawesi capital of Ujungpandang, in apparent
\nretaliation for the Istiqlal Mosque bombing which occurred in
\nJakarta, mobs attacked a Christian complex on Monday night.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, the situation in Ujungpandang was tense as
\nhundreds of Muslim university students staged a street
\ndemonstration against the mosque bombing.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, President B.J. Habibie received a strong message
\nfrom European investors on Wednesday that it would be very
\ndifficult for them to invest here if there were no significant
\nimprovements in the country's security.<\/p>\n
Habibie's special business envoy to Europe, Hashim
\nDjojohadikusumo, said European exporters and importers remained
\nhesitant about continuing or opening businesses here because of
\ncontinued riots, including those in Maluku and West Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
\"Every time I meet with foreign investors they always complain
\nabout the security situation,\" Hashim said after reporting the
\nresults of his recent overseas visit to Habibie at Merdeka
\nPalace. (byg\/27\/nur\/aan)<\/p>",
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