Kalimantan unrest not religious: Community leaders<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Fifteen religious leaders in the West Kalimantan
\ncapital of Pontianak agreed yesterday that the continuing clashes
\nbetween migrants from Madura and native Dayaks are not
\nreligiously motivated.<\/p>\n
In a joint statement, leaders of Moslem, Catholic, Protestant,
\nHindu and Buddhist organizations called for the government and
\nmilitary to find a thorough solution.<\/p>\n
"We are supportive of the government and the Armed Forces'
\nefforts to solve the problems according to the prevailing laws in
\na just and wise manner," the statement said.<\/p>\n
The religious leaders also called on the public not to be
\nprovoked by "misleading rumors that could harm the harmonious
\ncoexistence among believers of different religions."<\/p>\n
The unrest pits Dayak, who are generally Christian, and
\nmigrants from Madura, who are predominantly Moslem. It is
\nunderstood that the two ethnic groups have a deep-seated enmity.<\/p>\n
Reliable sources in Pontianak told The Jakarta Post yesterday
\nthere had been no reports of attacks on places of worship.<\/p>\n
Recent sporadic fighting follows a major clash triggered by a
\ntrivial incident over a woman at a party last December. At least
\nfour people were killed and 21 are still missing from the ensuing
\nclashes.<\/p>\n
The fighting resumed last month. Military and government
\nofficials have been tight-lipped on what triggered the new wave
\nof fighting. Reliable sources said that it broke out after
\nmigrants from Madura violated a truce when they attacked a
\ndormitory housing Dayaks in Siantan late last month.<\/p>\n
Residents said that Pontianak was calm but tense yesterday.
\nThe authorities extended the night curfew by an hour from 9 p.m.
\nto 8 p.m., until 5 a.m.<\/p>\n
"The latest call for people not to go out during the curfew
\nhours came amid rumors that the migrants are going to attack
\nDayak homes here in the next few days," the source said.<\/p>\n
The source reported that the military presence is not that
\ngreat in the capital, but that soldiers were seen on high alert
\nat their posts.<\/p>\n
"When night falls, soldiers go patrolling in vehicles around
\nthe town and up the suburbs are heavily guarded," the source
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Another local resident also reported that pedicab and public
\nvan drivers, who are mostly from Madura, were working shorter
\nhours apparently for security reasons.<\/p>\n
"Maduranese youths who usually hang round the streets here are
\nnow rarely seen," the source said.<\/p>\n
Another source in Sintang, some 400 kilometers east of
\nPontianak, reported that the town -- which has been blocked off
\nfrom Pontianak for several days -- is "normal but prices of some
\nbasic needs have soared by 300 percent."<\/p>\n
"Those who insist on going to Pontianak have to take an
\nairplane for which ticket prices have soared threefold, or a boat
\nthat will take them three days."<\/p>\n
The source also reported that scores of Maduranese took refuge
\nin a tightly guarded local transmigration site in Transito
\nsubdistrict, about one and a half hours drive from Sintang.<\/p>\n
Police and military officials still refused to comment on the
\nlatest situation yesterday.<\/p>\n
Separately, an unnamed military official in Jakarta told AFP
\nyesterday that "dozens of people" had died in ethnic clashes in
\nWest Kalimantan since late December. (08)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/kalimantan-unrest-not-religious-community-leaders-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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