Anti-Madurese violence continues in Pangkalan Bun

BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan (JP): The hunting down of Madurese migrants and the torching of their property continued in the West Kotawaringin regency capital of Pangkalan Bun as Dayaks reportedly entered the town from Sampit in East Kotawaringin, which was rocked by violence late in February.

In fear of the spreading violence, some 11,000 Madurese migrants had fled the town as of Sunday, resulting in congestion at the nearby seaport of Kumai where the refugees were waiting to be shipped to East or Central Java.

Earlier, some 8,000 other refugees had been evacuated to East Java from Pangkalan Bun.

West Kotawaringin Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Yusman Aer told The Jakarta Post late on Sunday that at least 10 people had been killed since the violence erupted in the town on April 2.

"Ten Madurese migrants have been killed by the Dayaks (here) while two others were injured," he said.

The arson attacks on homes and property abandoned by the Madurese migrants also continued in Pangkalan Bun. Data on the number of houses and shops burned by the mobs has yet be revealed but on Sunday at least two houses and several kiosks were torched.

Yusman said the violence was continuing despite last week's agreement which was signed by elderly Madurese and Dayak figures.

He alleged that the perpetrators of the killings and arson were Dayaks hailing from Sampit.

He added that people had been coming to Pangkalan Bun and were being put up by certain figures.

Yusman pledged that his men would continue to search out possible killers from Sampit, saying that hundreds of them had been arrested and returned to Sampit.

"Today (Sunday) we arrested 50 Dayaks and seized their weapons. I think they are now on their way to Sampit. We transported them on a bus," Yusman said.

Sampit is the closest neighboring town to Pangkalan Bun. To anticipate the worsening situation in Pangkalan Bun and to prevent the arrival of more Dayaks from Sampit, which has been abandoned by Madurese migrants, police have erected nine security posts on routes between the two towns.

Between 15 and 30 security personnel were manning the posts, while sharpshooters were on alert at other violence-prone spots.

On Friday, three police officers were attacked and killed by local Dayaks en route to the border between the regencies of East and West Kotawaringin, some 40 kilometers from Sampit.

One Dayak attacker was shot dead during the incident.

Following the clash between the Dayaks and police, rumors were rife that the Dayaks would stage a mass rally at the local council building, demanding that the police Mobile Brigade be withdrawn from the area.

Pangkalan Bun is the latest town to be shaken by the violence. More than 500 people were killed in Sampit, mostly Madurese, and their bodies mutilated or decapitated. At least 80,000 Madurese have fled the province.

Four companies of soldiers, or about 400 men, have arrived in Pangkalan Bun from Bandung, West Java. (32/emf)