Five killed in tribal clashes over woman in Irian Jaya

JAKARTA (JP): At least five people have been killed and two dozen injured in clashes over a woman between two tribal groups in Tembagapura, Irian Jaya, reports said yesterday.

The clashes that broke out Sunday morning and continued Monday involved tribal people from the neighboring Banti and Utikini villages.

Maj. Gen. Johny Lumintang, commander of the Trikora military command overseeing security in Irian and Maluku, said in Jayapura troops had the situation under control yesterday.

Lumintang said the tribal war broke out after a Banti man caught having sex with an Utikini woman refused to pay compensation as required by traditional custom.

The indigenous Amungme tribal people from Banti and migrant tribal people from Utikini fought using axes, arrows and bows.

Lumintang said it would be "difficult" to make an arrest over the incident because the clash involved most people.

Earlier yesterday, Manokwari military commander Col. Frans Willem de Wanna was quoted by Antara saying five people were killed and 26 people injured, two seriously.

Troops from the Army Strategic Reserve Command were sent in yesterday to bring the situation under control, Frans said.

He said there were fears the situation would escalate unless security authorities intervened and helped the warring tribes negotiate a permanent solution.

The troops would be deployed in Banti, about two kilometers from Tembagapura, which houses the gold and copper mines of PT Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of American Freeport McMoRan, which cover 26,400 square kilometers.

Tribal war outbreaks have not entirely ceased in Irian Jaya since it became part of Indonesia in 1963. (pan)