Gunmen trigger chaos in Maluku<\/p>\n
After weeks of tense calm, strife-torn Maluku was rocked by a
\nseries of gunfights and shootings initiated by armed rioters, an
\nofficial said Sunday.<\/p>\n
Civil emergency spokesman Maj. Marthen Luther Djari confirmed
\nthat at least two shooting incidents broke out on Sunday.<\/p>\n
According to witnesses, at least two people were killed and a
\nman was injured in the melee, but no immediate official
\nconfirmation was available.<\/p>\n
Late on Saturday, however, the security forces arrested two
\nalleged rioters carrying a five-kilogram explosive at Jl. Sultan
\nHairun in central Ambon, located between City Hall and the
\ngubernatorial office around 11:30 p.m. One of the suspects was
\nidentified as a renegade military soldier.<\/p>\n
"He (the soldier) is now in custody at the Pattimura military
\npolice headquarters for further investigation. Pattimura Military
\nchief (Brig. Gen. Mustopo) has ordered a full probe on the case
\nto further reveal the network of the rioters," officer Marthen
\nsaid, declining to reveal the soldier's identity.<\/p>\n
On Sunday around 8:30 a.m. local time unidentified gunmen from
\nTanjung Kulur opened fire and shot a 60-year-old fisherman named
\nAbdul Hamid, a resident of Kulur village.<\/p>\n
Abdul was shot in the back while fishing on his boat in the
\nwater off the village in Saparua island, Central Maluku regency.
\n"Abdul has been evacuated to Ambon for further treatment," the
\nofficer said.<\/p>\n
The shooting apparently triggered the chaos between
\npredominantly-Muslim Kulur village and neighboring predominantly-
\nChristian Porto village, Marthen added.<\/p>\n
Tension was rising in the area but the security forces have
\nreportedly quelled the situation.<\/p>\n
Reports also said that two people were killed in another
\nincident in between Kulur and Porto villages on Sunday, but no
\nimmediate confirmation was available.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, another gunfight broke out between armed rioters
\nand police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) on the border of Suli and
\nTial villages in the Ambon islands. Tial is a predominantly
\nMuslim village. --JP<\/p>",
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