Ambon residents flee after overnight raid
Ambon residents flee after overnight raid
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Thousands of terrified residents fled the
already ravaged village of Waai on Friday, following a murderous
overnight raid by a group of heavily armed people.
Witnesses said most of the people were headed for the
foothills of Mount Salahutu and the predominantly Christian
districts of Paso and Suli.
At least 22 people were killed in Thursday's predawn attack
and arson, which involved hundreds of Liang and Tulehu villagers
armed with handguns, mortars, grenades, rifles and Molotov
cocktails.
Data gathered from a civil emergency crisis center stated that
17 Waai locals died, mostly from gunshot wounds, and 14 others
were injured. Five attackers also died in the fighting and 41
were wounded.
The group renewed their assault on Friday at around 10:20 p.m
local time, destroying the remaining houses and a church with
mortars, bombs and grenades.
"We are striving to sift through debris to look for more
victims or survivors," a Maranatha church worker said.
Survivors of Thursday's attack were seen braving heavy
downpours and rough tracks through the jungle to reach Paso,
about 14 kilometers east of Waai.
Rumors of more violence caused thousands of locals, mostly
women and children in Jasirah Ambon Utara district, to abandon
their homes on Friday and move south to Laha Air Force Base and
Jasirah Lei Timur.
"The troops were never around when we needed them. We are an
open target for the rioters. The pamphlets on the planned
attacks, the maps and the exact dates and locations of their
raids have been circulating for sometime, but security forces do
nothing," a local journalist said.
Violence has intensified despite the imposition of a state of
civil emergency in Maluku since June 27.
Governor Saleh Latuconsina promised on Friday to help evacuate
Waai residents to Waidarissa village on Seram Island.
"But it is up to the people as I know that actually they do
not want to leave their homes," he said.
Meanwhile, Pattimura University rector deputy JE Louhanapessy
said total losses resulting from the arson and looting of the
university and its campus could reach Rp 900 billion.
In Central Sulawesi, Antara quoted provincial police chief Sr.
Supt. Soeroso as saying on Friday that two police officers
allegedly involved in the Poso rioting would stand trial as soon
as their dossiers had been submitted to Palu District Court.
In Kuku village, North Pamona, Poso, police found another pile
of skulls and bones believed to be the remains of seven people
killed in recent rioting. The bodies were buried in a ceremony at
Lawanga public cemetery in Poso Kota on Friday.
Meanwhile Kumai, West Kotawaringan regency, Central
Kalimantan, remained tense following Thursday's clash between
indigenous Malays and Madura migrants, in which four people were
killed.
The town was totally paralyzed as police and security
authorities blocked all access to the area. Its shops and offices
were closed.
Some 2,000 ship passengers had to continue their journey to
Sampit Port because of the rioting, Antara reported.
In an unrelated event the central Java town of Cilacap was
also tense following an overnight brawl between Plikon and
Sumpilan villagers in Adipala district.
At least one man, identified as Waryo, was burned to death by
Plikon residents. Seeking revenge, Sumpilan villagers attacked
Plikon, leaving 32 houses damaged, 17 of them razed.
Police arrested eight men from Sumpilan village and seized
sharp weapons as evidence. As of Friday afternoon dozens of
security personnel were seen stationed in the warring villages.
(45/49/har/edt/prb)