31 people killed in fresh clashes in C. Maluku

JAKARTA (JP): At least 31 people have been killed in the latest series of sectarian clashes in the riot-torn province of Maluku, reports said on Sunday.

The violence which involved Christians and Muslims, erupted late on Thursday in Taniwel on Seram island, central Maluku, Antara said.

It said fighting between the two religious communities continued until Saturday. Both sides used homemade guns and Molotov cocktails to set fire to dozen of houses in the remote subdistrict.

Provincial police spokesman Maj. Philip Jekriel was quoted by AFP as saying the communal clash on the island broke out when a group of Muslims from the village of Buano Utara attacked the predominantly Christian village of Alang Asaudi.

Riots also spread to Lisabata Barat and Nuniali villages.

As of Sunday, the situation in the riot-hit areas had calmed somewhat, after local security forces were reinforced with Marines and Police Mobil Brigade troops from Central Maluku and East Java province.

At least 46 members of these military and police units have been posted in Piru subdistrict to prevent angry mobs from entering Lisabata Barat and Nuniali villages, while a platoon of Army personnel has been posted at Alang Asaude village.

Maluku has been ravaged by Muslim-Christian conflict since the beginning of the year. The worst riots occurred between January and March, in which hundreds were killed.

Before last week's unrest, at least 40 people died in battles between the two religious communities in the provincial capital of Ambon on Nov. 26 and Nov. 27.

Meanwhile, National Police chief Gen. Roesmanhadi was quoted by Antara as saying on Saturday that the police would set up a team made up of 90 Maluku youths in Jakarta to help appease the situation of long-running violence in Maluku.

The team, to be named the Maluku Peace Task Force, will seek to draw up a joint declaration by village chiefs and the warring communities to end their enmity and establish lasting peace and religious harmony, he said.

"Hopefully, during the period of truce, other things may be worked out," he said.

Nearly 700 people have been killed in the sectarian conflict in the province this year, which first erupted in Ambon in mid- January.

Some 1,600 people have also been injured while tens of thousands of people have fled to other provinces.

The military has denied there are plans to impose martial law on the archipelagic province soon, but three battalions have been dispatched to the islands to reinforce security troops there.

Meanwhile, local police found the body of a 70-year-old man near the Yos Sudarso port in Ambon on Saturday, Antara said.

First Sgt. Roman, an official at the Perigi Lima police hospital, was quoted as saying that Yakob Salamoni was killed by an unidentified group of people near the port on Friday night and found with knife wounds to the neck and chest. (byg)