44 dead in fresh N. Maluku violence

44 dead in fresh N. Maluku violence

AMBON, Maluku (JP): The unabated bloodshed in North Maluku
continued on Monday when at least 44 people were killed in a
predawn attack on two villages on Halmahera island.

Chief of the Pattimura Military Command overseeing Maluku,
Brig. Gen. Max Tamaela, confirmed the incident which occurred in
Makete and Duma, Galela district, saying that hundreds were
injured in the incident.

"I've received a report from the North Maluku sector commander
Col. Sutrisno that 44 died and I've ordered troops from Jailolo
district and Marine personnel from Morotai to secure the
villages," Tamaela said by telephone on Monday night.

The attack on what were known as predominantly Christian
villages took place at about 5 a.m. local time by an armed mob
which entered the area from the sea and surrounding hills,
Tamaela said.

"The attackers mostly come from Ternate, and we're
investigating all the facts and the possibility of the alleged
involvement of Laskar Jihad or security members (in the attack)
here."

Makete and Duma are located less than a kilometer from the
shores of the Halmahera Sea.

Other estimates put the death toll at 50.

The deputy chief of the Galela-based Synode Masehi Injil
Halmahera Church, Rev. Biso, said that apart from 50 dead, 102
were injured.

The injured were taken to Bethesda Hospital, about 40
kilometers away.

"Most of the victims were injured due to bomb shrapnel and
gunshot wounds. Houses also were burned and many died in their
sleep," Biso said.

The attack was almost identical to another dawn attack on May
25 in Mamuya village, also in Galela, which killed 34 people.

Biso claimed that residents desperately needed protection but
were afraid to turn to security forces which they suspected
assisted in the attacks.

"The people are desperate. Do those attackers wish to wipe out
all Christians from the island? Who else can help us?" Biso
charged.

Tamaela called for restraint and for the people to accept the
assistance of security forces.

"Please do not reject security deployment here and lets face
the rioters together," he said.

Community leaders in Galela and Tobelo districts have rejected
the presence of security troops in the area because they felt
that some of them were taking sides with one of the warring
camps.

Tamaela could not hide his disappointment about the incident
and said he asked Indonesian Military (TNI) chief of general
affairs Lt. Gen. Djamari Chaniago to directly coordinate with
Navy Chief of Staff Adm. Achmad Sutjipto to tighten the blockade
in the waters of North Maluku.

"The troops here lack the ability to detect the attackers
arriving from the sea ... We badly need backup from the navy on
this."

Galela and Tobelo districts are known as trade centers on the
islands.

Among the commercial estates is the Calvandis Banana
Plantation in Galela, dubbed the biggest of its kind in Southeast
Asia.

The area has been rocked by several riots but it was
relatively calm in recent months.

The more than 18 months of sectarian violence in the Maluku
islands have claimed more than 2,000 lives, forcing thousands of
others to flee the province. (49/48/edt)