38 killed in fresh violence in Ambon

AMBON, Maluku (JP): As many as 38 people were killed in fresh violence which erupted on Thursday and continued into Friday in troubled Ambon.

The list of victims made available at the Dr. Haulussy General Hospital showed 20 people were killed on Friday in a clash between warring groups in and around Batu Merah and Mardika in downtown Ambon. Seventy-seven people are being treated at the hospital for injuries.

The Islamic Al Fatah Hospital received 17 bodies and is treating 52 injured people.

"The number of victims is expected to increase," Dr. Paing Suryaman of the Al Fatah hospital was quoted by Antara as saying.

Most of the 37 people died of gunshot wounds in Friday's clash.

Another victim, William Titioka, a lecturer at Pattimura University, was killed on Thursday in a riot in Poka, some eight kms southeast of Ambon.

The riot took place when unidentified people attacked residential housing complexes, including the one where William lived, local residents said.

Friday's clashes were initiated on Thursday evening after a group of people set a Mardika residents's house on fire.

Eyewitnesses described Fridays' violence as very serious, with military troops allegedly taking part in shootings and arson attacks on shop-houses.

Black smoke billowed from houses set on fire in the residential area of Mardika, and sporadic grenade explosions were heard.

Groups of people were seen attacking each other with tear gas and grenades.

Witnesses said the military had made the situation worse. "They dispersed reporters with gunshots," one of them said.

The Jakarta Post correspondent reported he, and other reporters, had to run as uniformed men aimed their weapons at them.

The violence, which was still going on at 8 p.m. local time, left Ambon paralyzed. All schools, shops and government offices were closed.

The provincial administration called on the people, through local TV, to stay at home. About 30 minutes before the appeal gunshots were fired from a black Daihatsu jeep speeding from Karang Panjang in a downtown direction.

"It is civil war," a local resident said.

A few minutes later two fully loaded military trucks with uniformed personnel were seen passing by.

Groups of people, armed with home-made rifles, swords, arrows and spears, roamed many parts of the city. Almost all roads were barricaded.

Chief of Pattimura Military Command Brig. Gen. Max Tamaela has reportedly set up a special team to control the violence.

Deputy Governor for People's Welfare Mrs. Paula B. Renyaan said on Friday that she had reported the news of the situation to Governor Saleh Latuconsina, who is presently in Jakarta.

Reports have also been sent to the secretary to the minister of home affairs in Jakarta, she said. The minister is expected to visit Maluku on Saturday.

The clove-rich province of Maluku has been racked by violence since January. Sectarian sentiment has resulted in clashes between Muslims and non-Muslims, who previously had lived harmoniously in the province.(48/sur)