C. Sulawesi still tense after deadly village riot

C. Sulawesi still tense after deadly village riot

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The situation in the Central Sulawesi regency of Donggala remains
tense following a bloody brawl between two villages in the
regency on Wednesday.

Residents of the neighboring villages of Watunonju and Bora in
Sigi-Biromaru subdistrict have been reluctant to leave their
homes and have increased security of their villages at night.
Schools located in the villages remain closed.

Antara news agency reported on Friday that of 800 farmers in
the two villages, very few have tended to their fields since the
brawl for fear of being caught in renewed violence.

At least two people were killed and eight others, including a
police officer, were injured in Wednesday's brawl.

Watunonju village head Asri Pasau said the situation became
even more tense on Thursday after Pito, 16, died from severe head
injuries suffered in the violence.

He also said that over the last two days, gunshots were heard
and abandoned homes had been burned in the area separating the
two villages.

"Many people taking refuge in adjacent villages and even in
the provincial capital of Palu have declined to return home for
fear of new violence. Both sides are still suspicious of one
another and still have their home-made guns and machetes," he
said.

Machmud, a resident of Watunonju, said the situation remained
tense because both sides had yet to meet and find a peaceful
solution to their problems.

He said schools had shut down until the situation returned to
normal. "Local authorities recommended schools suspend their
activities because the schools are located in the area prone to
clashes."

The police in Donggala have deployed dozens of officers to
confiscate guns, arrows and machetes from residents of the
villages.

Officers have so far seized seven hand-made guns, several
arrows and two machetes, but no one has been detained.