Saparua brawl claims five lives, police say<\/p>\n
AMBON, Maluku (JP): The provincial police confirmed on Friday
\nthat four residents and a police officer had died in Thursday's
\nbrawl on nearby Saparua Island.<\/p>\n
Maluku Police spokesman Maj. P.H. Jekriel identified the
\nvictims as Gany Sanaky, Obet Kaplale, Philipus Kaya, Wenan
\nSapulete and police Corp. Essau (Tjao) Huwaa.<\/p>\n
Jekriel confirmed that Huwaa died of a gunshot wound, but said
\npolice had not determined who had fired at the police officer.<\/p>\n
"There are many Saparua people who are capable of assembling
\nhome-made rifles. And it's common for them to use the guns,
\nincluding during conflicts," he told reporters at his office.<\/p>\n
He said police had found eight people who were injured in the
\nclash, mostly suffering gunshot wounds, including Saparua Police
\nchief First Lt. A.R. Tatuh and elite police Mobile Brigade member
\nSecond Sgt. Minaryo.<\/p>\n
Saparua hospital staff identified nine wounded victims.<\/p>\n
Jekriel also confirmed that nine houses were burnt and 10
\nothers were destroyed by the angry mobs.<\/p>\n
A clash between residents of the Ulath and Sirisori villages
\nerupted on Thursday. Ulath is predominantly Christian while
\nSirisori has balanced Muslim and Christian populations. But,
\npolice dismissed suggestions that the clash was religiously
\nmotivated, saying it was instead triggered by a dispute over
\nattacks on 300 clove trees belonging to 11 farmers.<\/p>\n
"The police see the conflict as having originated from the
\ndispute over clove trees," he said. "And fresh conflicts may
\nerupt as there is a possibility that the clove price will
\ncontinue increasing from its current Rp 35,000 (US$5.2) per
\nkilogram."<\/p>\n
Peace and order had reportedly returned to the area when
\nMaluku Police chief Col. Bugis Saman and Maluku Military
\ncommander Brig. Gen. Max M. Tamaela arrived at the site of the
\nconflict on Friday morning.<\/p>\n
Months of religious conflicts between Muslims and Christians
\nthat first erupted in Ambon in mid-January killed more than 400
\npeople and forced more than 100,000 to flee to various refugee
\ncenters.<\/p>\n
A peace pact between the groups was agreed on in May, but
\nviolence continued. A mass brawl between school students exploded
\nlast week, but nobody was killed.<\/p>\n
Provincial capital Ambon, however, was left unaffected by the
\nviolence in Saparua. Economic and office activities as well as
\nschooling continued as usual, while Muslims said their Friday
\nprayers at various mosques, including Al Fatah Mosque, where
\nthousands of Muslims took refuge when the violence first started.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Deputy Governor Paula B. Renyaan was quoted by
\nAntara as calling on the people not to be incited by the unrest
\nin Saparua. She expressed the hope that the unrest would not
\nspread to other places.<\/p>\n
"Please remember how bad our suffering was when the racial
\nclashes broke out in January," she said. "The clashes claimed
\nlives, destroyed properties, and damaged our human ties."
\n(48\/imn\/swe)<\/p>",
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