Death toll increases to 52 in Maluku communal rioting

Death toll increases to 52 in Maluku communal rioting

JAKARTA (JP): Fears of renewed violence hang over the Maluku
capital of Ambon as the estimated death toll from religious
clashes there has risen to 52. Among the latest victims were five
villagers who were stabbed and burned by a mob from another
village only hours after Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen.
Wiranto ended his short visit to the region.

In addition to a curfew slapped on Ambon, the military had
issued a shoot-on-the-spot order against anyone resisting the
authorities' attempt to restore security.

The casualty figures varied. On Friday, according to local
authorities, there were 45 recorded deaths. The Suara Pembaruan
newspaper reported there were 37 deaths.

On Saturday afternoon, the private TV station SCTV in its 6
p.m. news quoted Maluku Police chief Col. Karyono as saying the
three-day rioting that began Tuesday, had claimed 47 lives,
including six who died in the village of Batubalang on Thursday.

Karyono did not explain about the latest five deaths.

A police officer at the Ambon Police headquarters, Sgt.
Prasetyo, however, confirmed the killing of the five, which he
said took place at about 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

He said the mob ambushed the truck that was carrying the
victims from Mangga Dua village to Ambon, "burned the vehicle and
stabbed the five."

"They threw their bodies into a gorge, poured gasoline over
them and then burned them," Prasetyo told The Jakarta Post by
phone.

Prasetyo did not say whether there were other passengers,
whether any attackers have been arrested, or give details about
the murders.

The AFP quoted a local journalist as saying the brutal murder
of the five took place only 300 meters away from Maluku Governor
Saleh Latuconsina's residence in Ambon.

Wiranto visited Ambon on Friday and was back in Jakarta early
Saturday. He donated Rp 500 million in cash and food supplies to
the local government. He also promised to send a helicopter to
help security personnel in restoring security in the province.

"Operate this helicopter to capture the traitors. Capture the
masterminds of the riots that have damaged the inter-religious
harmony here and bring them to court," Gen. Wiranto said as
quoted by Antara.

Wiranto assured residents there that his troops had acted
firmly but humanely. He denied that around 5,000 servicemen
deployed there had failed to act fairly to Christians and
Muslims, as both sides have separately complained.

"It is wrong to conclude that ABRI is siding with certain
groups in handling the rioting in Ambon," Wiranto said after the
visit.

The head of the Trikora Military Command, Maj. Gen. Amir
Sembiring, who oversees Maluku and Irian Jaya, ordered his troops
on Saturday to shoot anyone who resists the military operation to
restore peace and order there.

Dozens of expatriates in Ambon have been evacuated while
residents of villages involved in the violence took refuge in
churches, mosques and military installations.

Police estimated the number of people fleeing their homes had
reached 20,000. The Justice Party, which has established a
command post to help refugees, put the figure at 15,000.

Some 9,000 Muslims were being sheltered at the Al Fatah Mosque
in downtown Ambon, while 3,000 Christians were taking refuge at
Silo Church.

Some Ambon residents said Sunday, when Christians perform
their religious services, will serve as an important test of
whether the anger and animosity between them and the Muslim
community had subsided or not.

"The situation is slowly returning to normal. The visit of
General Wiranto has had a psychological impact on people. But we
must remain alert," Baptist Church priest Hendrik Totmaran told
the Post.

"Public transportation is still paralyzed, but we feel more
secure now compared to a few days ago," said a night guard at a
local newspaper office in Ambon.

With a population of 2.08 million, Maluku province comprises
1,027 islands and 70 percent of its territory is covered by sea.
Some of the islands are in the Pacific Ocean.

According to the 1997 official statistics, 59.01 percent of
its population are Muslims, Protestants 35.29 percent, while
Catholics number 5.19 percent.

Maluku is one of a few provinces, including Aceh, Irian Jaya
and East Timor, whose history is marked with separatist
movements.

According to the official Indonesian National History book,
rebel Robert Steven Soumokil once established the South Maluku
Republik (RMS). He intended to declare a separate state from
Indonesia in the 1950s.

After the 1970s, the group was little heard of. Most of its
elderly leaders live in the Netherlands.

On Thursday, according to local residents, some RMS flags were
hoisted in Ambon.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Communion of Churches in Indonesia
(PGI) urged Christians in the province to pray for peace and stop
resorting to violence.

The Justice Party said on Friday 12 mosques and three churches
were burned during the rioting. It complained that the military
had not done enough to restore security there.

"Need there be more victims before the military takes firm
action?" the party asked in a statement. (prb/29)