Troops evacuate Maluku refugees<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A combined Army, Navy and Airforce operation
\ncommenced on Tuesday from several locations in North Maluku to
\nevacuate over 3,000 people fleeing religious violence in the
\narea.<\/p>\n
No independent source could be contacted in the North Maluku
\narea on the latest number of casualties, however military
\nofficials in Ambon, Maluku, said clashes were reported on Tuesday
\nin Masohi, Seram Island.<\/p>\n
In Ternate, Halmahera Island, Army and Navy troops had to fire
\nwarning shots as a mob tried to disrupt the evacuation of some
\n3,250 refugees.<\/p>\n
The refugees, mostly from Ibu district, were sheltering in
\nsurrounding military and police stations about to be evacuated
\naboard the Navy's KRI Teluk Langsa waiting at Ahmad Yani harbor.<\/p>\n
Antara reported the military trucks carrying refugees were
\nsuspected by the mob to be carrying military personnel who were
\nalleged to have sided with one of the parties in the conflict.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile at least 200 evacuees from troubled North Maluku
\nwere flown in military Hercules planes on Tuesday to Manado,
\nNorth Sulawesi, and Makassar, South Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
The refugees had been stranded on the island of Morotai, just
\nnorth of Halmahera Island.<\/p>\n
One of the three pilots, Capt. Djamaluddin, told The Jakarta
\nPost that 146 of the refugees were dropped in Manado and the rest
\ndisembarked at Hasanuddin airbase in Makassar at noon on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"There are still a large number of refugees in Morotai. We're
\ngiving priority to women and children as they are most
\nvulnerable.\" Djamaluddin said, adding that as he flew over the
\narea he saw fighting here and there.<\/p>\n
\"The situation could become worse,\" he warned.<\/p>\n
The airlift followed demands by the South Sulawesi Muslims
\nFront (FMSS) on Monday for the evacuation of Muslims from North
\nMaluku.<\/p>\n
A refugee, identified as Sihab, said the once peaceful island
\nhad become a war zone.<\/p>\n
Morotai is about two hours away by speedboat from the town of
\nTobelo in Halmahera, where violence is said to be at its worst.<\/p>\n
Another refugee said buildings, including residential houses
\nand places of worship, had been burnt by unidentified people who
\ncame in large groups.<\/p>\n
Basse Marwati said people were wary of being ambushed in
\nMorotai. \"People have packed and are prepared to leave the
\nisland. But we had no transportation. Thank God the Airforce sent
\nus the Hercules,\" the 26-year-old female refugee said.<\/p>\n
Brutal clashes have spread to the North and Central Maluku
\nareas, particularly around Halmahera Island, over the past week,
\nfollowing a year of unresolved ethnic and religious violence in
\nAmbon.<\/p>\n
Official estimates put the number of deaths at about 450 in
\nNorth and Central Maluku.<\/p>\n
However, unconfirmed sources claim a much higher death toll.<\/p>\n
Republika quoted the deputy head of the Ambon branch of the
\nIndonesian Ulema's Council (MUI), Adjit bin Taher, as saying that
\n2,000 Muslims in Tobelo had been killed since Christmas.<\/p>\n
The conflicting death tolls stem from the remote locales,
\nwhich are difficult to reach and a long way from urban centers
\nsuch as Ambon. Lines of communication are also intermittent,
\nforcing people to seek second or thirdhand sources of
\ninformation.<\/p>\n
Moreover, religious sympathies are observable in the various
\nreports coming out of the area.<\/p>\n
Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. Max Tamaela in a local
\nTVRI broadcast in Ambon called on all sides not to be provoked by
\nthe high death tolls being published in the media. He said there
\nwas no way at present to confirm the number of dead.<\/p>\n
While Ambon was generally quiet, rumors are spreading that
\nMuslims in the area will launch a jihad in the run-up to Idul
\nFitri, which falls on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Tamaela said his men were anticipating the worst, noting that
\nthere are now 15 battalions in Maluku as a whole (including North
\nMaluku) while in Ambon alone there are 8,000 military and police
\npersonnel. (48\/27\/sur\/jun\/mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/troops-evacuate-maluku-refugees-1447893297",
"image": ""
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