Explosion rocks Ambon again

Explosion rocks Ambon again

JAKARTA (JP): An explosion believed to have been caused by a
bomb again rocked the riot-torn capital of Ambon in Maluku,
creating panic but leaving no casualties or damage, Antara
reported on Thursday.

The explosion took place in Batu Merah village in Sirimau
district at about 1 a.m. Thursday. It could be heard on a radius
of up to four kilometers, witnesses said.

"The bomb exploded in an empty field that is normally used by
public transportation from Batu Merah to make U-turns," an
unidentified eyewitness said.

The blast occurred just hours after a peace dialog was held
between Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina, the Armed Forces local
leaders and community leaders from the villages of Batu Merah,
Pandan Kasturi, Amantelu, Galala and Hative Kecil on Wednesday
night.

Residents rushed out of their homes, brandishing sharp weapons
to confront possible intruders but security forces dispersed the
crowds with warning shots.

A power outage of several minutes added to the tension.

According to Maluku Police Chief Col. Karyono, Thursday's was
the second explosion recorded after a deadly blast which killed a
high school teacher on Feb. 14.

"This blast was caused by a kind of bomb used for fishing," he
said, citing reports that more people had assembled such devices
because materials for them could be easily bought.

"It seems many people here know how to make this type of
explosive. A chemical teacher identified as Demianus Lasamahu was
found dead on Sunday night after a makeshift bomb exploded," he
noted.

Karyono admitted that before the Thursday bomb blast, a brawl
between residents in Rumah Tiga village occurred around midnight.

"A house was almost set on fire but the crowds were quickly
dispersed," he said.

Violence since last month in the province involving Muslims,
Christians, locals and migrants, has left 105 people dead,
according to official figures.

Separately, some 1,500 volunteers from Ujungpandang, South
Sulawesi, were reportedly making preparations to leave for Ambon
on Thursday.

The "Front of Ambon Muslim Defenders" members would help
rebuild public facilities damaged in the rioting, according to
the group's coordinator, Fachri Sangaji.

Meanwhile, Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina officiated on
Thursday an Armed Forces public service rehabilitation project,
Antara reported.

The data of the Maluku administration indicates there are
2,240 houses damaged and burned in the rioting, including 1,375
which need to be rebuilt.

Meanwhile, in its most up to date report on the Ambon unrest,
the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence
(Kontras) concluded that the five-day rioting starting Jan. 19
was the result of an accumulation of conflict among community
groups.

"It was actually a local conflict...and before the riot
erupted, clashes were peacefully settled.

"But because there were instigators involved, combined with
slow security measures by the authorities, the Jan. 19
disturbance degenerated into full-scale riots," the commission's
coordinator, Munir, said in a statement. (27/edt)