Fresh violence rocks Maluku<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Fresh communal violence erupted on Wednesday in
\nthe Southeast Maluku town of Tual, where at least seven people
\nwere wounded by bullets, arrows and machetes.<\/p>\n
Roy Taha, a Muslim resident, told The Jakarta Post by phone
\nfrom Tual, some 540 kilometers southeast of the provincial
\ncapital of Ambon, that the clashes started before dawn and forced
\nthousands of residents to flee to a number of nearby military
\ninstallations.<\/p>\n
\"The clashes broke out at 4 a.m. as Christians from Taar
\nvillage attacked Muslim residents in Wearhir, but the situation
\nis calm now, although it remains tense,\" said Roy, who lives on
\nJl. Pattimura, which was at the center of Wednesday's violence.<\/p>\n
He said Muslim residents then launched a counterattack against
\nChristians after the midday prayers.<\/p>\n
AFP quoted a duty doctor at Tual General Hospital as saying
\ntwo people with gunshot wounds were admitted Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n
It also quoted Nona Notanubud, who heads the same hospital, as
\nsaying that three people, including a policeman, were brought in
\nearlier in the day, but only one, a civilian, seriously slashed
\nby a machete, needed significant treatment.<\/p>\n
The news agency also reported that two more men, with arrow
\nand machete wounds, were treated at the Hati Kudus hospital in
\nLanggur, a town separated from Tual by a narrow strait.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that at least two people were killed and a
\ndozen more were injured in the clashes.<\/p>\n
The news agency also said that at least 10 houses were set on
\nfire in the clashes.<\/p>\n
It identified two of the injured as John Tamher and Lakalai.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Roy said that at least four people were killed in
\nthe clashes.<\/p>\n
\"Two Christians were killed in the first clashes in the early
\nmorning and another two were killed in the afternoon,\" Roy said.<\/p>\n
He also said that a night curfew had been imposed on the town
\nand nearby areas.<\/p>\n
Authorities could not be reached to confirm the reports.<\/p>\n
Roy said the situation was tense in Tual and nearby Langgur
\nwith shops and businesses closed after Muslims and Christians
\nclashed in the Wearhir area.<\/p>\n
\"People carrying sharp weapons were seen on the streets this
\nafternoon,\" Roy said.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that troops blocked a bridge separating Tual
\nand Langgur to prevent the unrest from spreading.<\/p>\n
It also said that troops fired shots to disperse the crowd
\nbattling with machetes and spears.<\/p>\n
The news agency said Irian Jaya-based Trikora Military
\nCommander Maj. Gen. Amir Sembiring, who arrived in Ambon on
\nWednesday afternoon, and Maluku Military Chief Col. Karel
\nRalahalu flew to Tual to calm down the residents.<\/p>\n
It also said the violence in Tual had caused uneasiness in
\nAmbon, which has been calm for the past three weeks.<\/p>\n
The state-owned TVRI quoted Karel as saying on Wednesday
\nevening that at least two people were injured, including one
\nsecurity officer, by an arrow.<\/p>\n
It also reported that at least one company of reinforcements
\nwas transferred to Tual from Ambon.<\/p>\n
It was not clear what had caused the violence but Roy said the
\ntension rose after the discovery of a piece of graffiti attacking
\nIslam in Wearhir on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\"There was writing which said that Prophet Muhammad was the
\nservant of Jesus,\" Roy said.<\/p>\n
He blamed the violence on \"instigators\" who had fled violence
\nin Ambon earlier in the month.<\/p>\n
Weeks of bloody clashes between Muslims and Christians in
\nAmbon and several other islands in Maluku province since mid-
\nJanuary left almost 200 people dead and rampant destruction.
\n(byg)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fresh-violence-rocks-maluku-1447893297",
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