Chicken theft blamed for riot in Banggai, two killed

Irvan NR, The Jakarta Post, Palu, Central Sulawesi

At least two persons were killed, eight suffered stab wounds and 39 homes were burned down during a riot that erupted in Banggai regency, Central Sulawesi, following the alleged theft of a chicken, police and witnesses said on Sunday.

Hundreds of local residents fled their homes to the nearby jungle and other places of safety following the disturbances on Saturday.

The fighting involved people from the rival villages of Lamo and Uso in Batui subdistrict, some 50 kilometers from the Banggai capital of Luwuk, and 660 kilometers from Palu, Central Sulawesi.

The two victims were identified as Yafet Sumang and his son Iwan from Limo, who both died from blood loss while being taken to the hospital.

The suspected killer, identified only by his initials as Fs, is being detained by police in Batui.

Witnesses said that Fs had reported to Yafet that Iwan had stolen a chicken belonging to the suspect, but Yafet had refused to accept the accusation against his son.

An argument then ensued and Fs suddenly hit Yafet with his machete.

Iwan tried to help his father but was also slashed by the machete-wielding Fs.

The subsequent deaths of Yafet and Iwan incited people from Lamo to attack the neighboring village of Uso, where Fs hails from. In their rage, the Lamo villagers set fire to 39 houses in Uso.

Many residents from Uso were forced to hide in the surrounding jungle, while some others sought refuge at Batui police station. Around 260 families fled to neighboring villages to avoid the possibility of more attacks.

Nasir, who hails from Lamo, said he and his neighbors were not going to let Fs get away with murdering a father and son over such a trivial matter.

He demanded that Fs be punished to the full extent of the law as he had taken the lives of two human beings.

"We want to see him being punished severely. How come he was carrying a machete -- obviously he was intent on murder. And we don't believe that Iwan was the chicken thief," Nasir said.

Banggai Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Guntur Widodo was unavailable for comment as he still at the scene of the disturbances.

However, Pvt. Badi from Batui police station confirmed the exodus of refugees from Uso, and said the two feuding villages were still tense.

Police and military personnel have been deployed to guard Uso and Lamo to prevent possible revenge attacks.

"The situation is under control and the security forces are standing guard there," Badi said.

The riot was apparently not linked to the sectarian conflict in the area as Muslims, Christians and the followers of other religions live peacefully side by side in Uso and Lamo.

Last Wednesday, people from the predominantly Christian village of Maranatha clashed with rivals from Sidondo, a mainly Muslim village, in Donggala regency, Central Sulawesi. One person was killed and four houses were set ablaze during the disturbances.

Meanwhile, masked gunmen on Saturday night shot a police officer, identified only as Pvt. Azis, in the Central Sulawesi regency of Poso, where some 2,000 people were killed during two years of sectarian fighting that officially came to an end in 2002, but has erupted sporadically since then.

Azis was shot in the left leg by three armed men in Masani village, Poso Pesisir subdistrict, Poso Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Abdi Darma said on Sunday.

He said the attack took place when Azis was on patrol in Poso Pesisir, one of the areas most prone to violence. His attackers rode on two motorcycles.

Abdi said Azis, despite his wounds, was able to return fire, but the gunmen escaped into the jungle. Azis believed, however, that either one or both of the attackers had been wounded as they left a trail of blood behind them.

The local police chief urged people not to allow themselves to be incited by the latest incidents.