Ethnic clash hits Donggala, two shot dead

Ethnic clash hits Donggala, two shot dead

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post/Donggala

A clash between two ethnic groups broke out in Donggala regency,
Central Sulawesi province, on Wednesday, leaving two people dead
and dozens of others severely injured, including two police
personnel.

The two fatalities were local residents Asdin, 28 and Asdar,
30, who were shot dead by police personnel after the clash.

The clash began when Sabri, 38, a resident in Sidondo
subdistrict in Donggala went missing on Sunday. The last time
fellow residents saw him was when he was working on his
plantation.

Sabri's family, from the Kaili tribe, searched intensively for
Sabri, but efforts proved fruitless until Wednesday morning.

The family only discovered a hat believed to belong to Sabri
in a cacao plantation belonging to a resident from an ethnic
Bugis, the Kaili's nemesis. Traces of blood were found on the
hat, prompting them to conclude that Sabri had been murdered.
Without a second thought, Sabri's family quickly blamed Bugis
residents for Sabri's apparent abduction and murder.

The report quickly spread to Sidondo subdistrict, some 40
kilometers south of Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi
province. After hearing of the incident, subdistrict officials
approached the Kaili leaders to calm them down and promised them
that the perpetrators would be hunted down and prosecuted in line
with the law. But, their appeal fell on deaf ears.

After the finding, Sabri's family and fellow members of the
Kaili community prepared a major onslaught on the Bugis
neighborhood.

Carrying sharp weapons, dozens of Kaili people stormed the
Bugis neighborhood at 12 noon, but on their way there, they were
greeted by dozens of Bugis residents armed with sharp weapons. A
clash broke out, but was quickly put down by several police
personnel, who rushed to the scene.

Two hours later, the heavily armed police personnel left the
scene, after the two groups of residents dispersed and went home.
But, on their way to the police station in Donggala regency
capital, a group of unidentified residents attacked and stabbed
two policemen. Others fought back, prompting the residents to
flee. Police shot dead two of them, Asdin and Asdar.

Asdar was shot in the back, while Asdin was shot in the chest.
Police are still unsure whether the two were Bugis or Kaili
residents.

The situation in the Sidondong subdistrict was still tense
until 7 p.m, with local residents, carrying sharp weapons,
staying outside their houses in groups. Some 150 police personnel
were deployed to prevent further clashes.

Central Sulawesi Governor Aminudin Ponulele has instructed the
chief of Central Sulawesi Police Brig. Gen. Aryanto Sutadi to
beef up security in the subdistrict to prevent the clash from
escalating.

Wednesday's clash followed another clash early last year.

In the earlier clash, a local resident was stabbed to death.
It was not clear whether he was from the Kaili or the Bugis
ethnic group.

Donggala regency is some hundreds of kilometers from the riot-
torn regency of Poso, where sectarian conflict that killed over
2,000 Muslims and Christians broke out in 2000.

Following the riot, mysterious armed attacks continued to
occur in Poso and Palu city until recently. Authorities have
expressed concern that Wednesday's clash in Donggala could
escalate into a major conflict in the province.