38 killed in fresh violence in Ambon

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)