Four killed as violence returns to touch Sampit

Four killed as violence returns to touch Sampit

SAMPIT, Central Kalimantan (JP): Violence again cast its
shadow over Sampit on Friday, over a month after ethnic clashes
left hundreds of Madurese migrants dead in late February.

In fierce fighting some 40 kilometers west of Sampit, three
Mobile Brigade police officers and one local Dayak lost their
lives.

The officers killed on Friday were identified as the head of
the Mobile Brigade platoon in Sampit, Second Adj. Insp. Dedy,
Second Brig. Rico and Second Brig. Rohman.

Another policeman, Second Brig. Marwan, was seriously wounded
in the violence. He was taken to Banjarmasin for treatment later
in the afternoon.

The Dayak victim, who died of gunshot wounds, has yet to be
identified.

Sampit Regent Wahyudi confirmed the fighting, but was unable
to provide further details when contacted by The Jakarta Post.

"The situation in Sampit had become peaceful over the past few
weeks. Things had become normal, schools had opened. What can I
say now .... "

According to sources, the platoon of Mobile Brigade officers
was traveling to Kota Waringin Barat, some 225 kilometers from
Sampit, when they spotted several security posts manned by
Dayaks.

The officers stopped to search the posts and found several
guns. When the officers attempted to confiscate the weapons the
Dayaks resisted and several officers opened fire, killing one
Dayak.

The situation further deteriorated when the Dayaks, most of
them armed with spears and swords, attacked the policemen.

Word of the clash reached Sampit several hours later, and
police officers manning security posts along Jl. Achmad Yani were
visibly upset at hearing of the deaths of their fellow officers.

The Central Sulawesi town of Poso was also touched by violence
on Friday, with at least two people dying in a communal clash in
the Kayamanya subdistrict. The violence began at about 9 a.m.

The fatalities remained unidentified, but are believed to be
members of the armed group of attackers who stormed the
predominantly Muslim subdistrict.

As of Friday afternoon, security personnel were deployed at a
number of mosques in Poso in anticipation of retaliatory attacks
from the opposing groups. The town was almost deserted with only
a few public minivans operating, while most shops closed.

Separately in Tangkura subdistrict, gunshots and blasts were
heard from Thursday night until the early hours of Friday.

Central Sulawesi Police Chief Brig. Gen. Ali Zainal Abidin
confirmed the incidents.

He said a group of 300 armed attackers stormed into a police
post in Tangkura late Thursday.

Two of the attackers were reportedly shot dead.

Meanwhile, local residents were shocked by the finding of a
dead body floating on a river in Poso at around 7:00 a.m. Friday.
The man was believed to have died of gunshot wounds.

Officer Abidin confirmed the finding, but speculated that the
victim was a member of the armed group that attacked the Tangkura
police post.

"During the attack, police shot dead two assailants but their
bodies were taken away by their friends, so we cannot identify
them," he said, adding that the situation in Poso was under
control in the afternoon.

A shoot-on-sight order has also been issued against armed
rioters who might endanger the lives of security personnel and
civilians.

He believed that there were groups of provocateurs in Poso
attempting to spread distorted information and hatred against
security forces.

Another police post was attacked on Tuesday in Sayo
subdistrict, killing three people including a police officer and
a local woman.

On Thursday, the Palu District Court sentenced to death
Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva, and Don Marinus Riwu for
plotting last year's communal clashes, who killed at least 200
people. The three were said to be leaders of the Christian red
group.

During the hearing, Tibo handed out a list of 16 names of
people allegedly involved in last year's killings.
(24/32/emf/sur)