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.