Bomb rocks Lombok

Bomb rocks Lombok

JAKARTA: A bomb explosion shocked the villagers of Bajur, in
Labuapi district on the resort island of Lombok, West Nusa
Tenggara (NTB), on Saturday, as local leaders were meeting in an
attempt to bring calm to the region following a two-day brawl
between villages which killed nine people and injured scores of
others.

"The explosion, caused by a huge firecracker, occurred at
approximately 10 p.m. local time Saturday," head of NTB Police
Detective Chief Comr. I Gusti Kesuma told The Jakarta Post by
phone from Mataram on Sunday.

The blast damaged a house in Bajur village, but no casualties
were reported in the incident.

"The explosion was intended to create unrest among residents.
The peace talk, however, continued between civil and religious
leaders," officer Kesuma said.

Earlier in the day, head of traditional security guards
Pamswakarsa Amphibi Tuan Guru Haji (TGH) Sibawaih Mutawalli
issued a directive to his 172,000 members, instructing them to
stay calm and not to instigate violence.

A clash broke out on Wednesday and continued until Thursday
after four residents of Parampuan village were ambushed by a
group from Bongor, a neighboring hamlet, and other villagers
grouped in the traditional security force.

The neighboring villages are located in different districts.
Bongor is in Gerung district, while Parampuan village is in
Labuapi district.

Tension still gripped the border of Parampuan and Bongor on
Sunday with riot police tightly guarding the area.

On January 1 this year, a fierce clash between villagers of
Bajur and Karang Genteng killed one person and left scores of
others injured, including police Brig. Yulianto of West Lombok
Police. (edt)