Eleven killed in Tual as Maluku clashes resume
Eleven killed in Tual as Maluku clashes resume
JAKARTA (JP): Religious clashes in the Southeast Maluku town
of Tual have claimed at least 11 lives and injured 50, police and
hospital sources said Friday.
Head of the Tual General Hospital, Nona Notanubun, told Antara
that a priest, Butje Hehanussa, and his two sons, Hensen
Hehanussa and Dani, were killed as a result of machete attacks on
Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Sherby Bugis, Gani Tamher and Tete Renhoran died
from arrow wounds, Donatustelio Warubun from spear wounds and
Jacob Beay from bullet wounds, the news agency said.
It also said at least one person, Harold Joice Noya, was still
missing, after the conflict -- the latest to rock the province
after over a week of calm -- erupted on Wednesday.
The agency on Friday, quoting sources at Southeast Maluku
police and Tual hospital, reported 11 had died in the two-day
clash.
Second Lt. Ferry Latue told The Jakarta Post by phone from the
police command post in Tual, some 540 kilometers southeast of the
provincial capital of Ambon, that violence continued at dawn in
the Christian area of Kampung Baru on Thursday.
"The clashes carried on sporadically and the situation is only
returning to calm this afternoon," Ferry said, adding that about
50 people were injured.
A local government official, who requested anonymity, said
both Muslims and Christians started the renewed violence on Jl.
Karel Sasuit Tubun early Thursday.
"Muslims and Christians armed with machetes, arrows and
Molotov cocktails were attacking each other. Security personnel
then fired warning shots to disperse (them) ... then opened fire
on the crowd," he said.
He claimed many people sustained injuries from bullet wounds.
"Security personnel chased the crowd down alleys and into
residents' houses."
Scores of residents fled their homes to nearby military
facilities on Thursday, he said.
Meanwhile observance of Good Friday passed peacefully in Ambon
and other areas. Some worshipers were seen in tears while
security personnel continued to monitor the situation.
But in Tual, Antara reported only a few attended mass as most
were still at the refugee center of the Air Force base in
Langgur. There were also fears of additional violence.
The agency reported that at least 40 houses were set on fire
on Wednesday and Thursday.
Residents told the news agency the clashes erupted before dawn
on Wednesday when Christians from Taar village attacked a
neighboring Muslim community in Wearhir village.
The reason for the outbreak of violence remained unclear, but
locals said tensions were sparked after the discovery of a piece
of graffiti defaming Islam in Wearhir on Sunday.
Residents blamed the violence on instigators who fled violence
in Ambon earlier in the month.
Since mid-January, bloody clashes between Muslims and
Christians in Ambon and several other islands in Maluku province
have left almost 200 people dead and has caused wide-spread
destruction.
Maluku Military chief Col. Karel Ralahalu, and Maluku Police
chief Col. Bugis Saman remained in Tual on Thursday to calm
residents.
Two members from the special military task force, Col. Nono
Sampono and Col. Cornelis Patty, also visited the town.
Armed Forces (ABRI) chief Gen. Wiranto sent 19 locally-born
officers to the province last month to quell weeks of violence
between Muslims and Christians.
Antara reported that one company of troops was dispatched from
Ambon on Wednesday to reinforce about 100 local security
personnel.
Karel told the news agency on Wednesday that security
personnel would take harsh measures against rioters in Tual.
"Anybody who tries to incite trouble will be crippled so that
they will not worsen the situation."
He said security forces would try to separate the warring
parties by marking boundaries between them. (byg)