Four people killed in fresh Ambon violence

Oktavianus Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A Christian man was killed when a mob set his van on fire in the restive town of Ambon, Maluku, on Sunday after three Muslim females were shot dead in Kulur village, Saparua island, Central Maluku.

Unidentified gunmen aboard a speedboat sprayed bullets at the coastal village of Kulur early on Sunday, killing a women and two girls. The victims were identified as Miftaul Ulung, 23, Fatimah Tuhulele, 11, and Fitria Litiloli, 11.

Their bodies were taken to Al Fatah Mosque at Batumerah subdistrict, Ambon, setting emotions high among Muslims in Ambon, especially those originating from Kulur.

People then set alight the passing van in the city's predominantly Muslim sector of Galunggung, killing its driver, identified as Dany Matulessy.

To prevent the violence from spreading, security personnel blocked roads leading to Al Fatah Mosque, and guarded along streets dividing the Muslim and Christian communities in Ambon.

The local police could not be immediately reached for comment. Meanwhile, the head of local Army office, Col. Hudawi Lubis, said: "We have closed the roads to avoid further incidents."

Some, nevertheless, speculated that the attack on Kulur village was part of an effort to renew the interreligious violence in Maluku as Kulur borders the Christian village of Porto.

Last Thursday, a bomb exploded at a stadium in Ambon, instantly killing three high school girls who were doing exercises in the stadium. Another girl died later at the hospital.

Maluku has been the scene of fighting between Muslims and Christians that has left more than 6,000 dead since 1999. Tens of thousands of others have fled their villages for safer places.

Maluku had remained relatively calm after representatives of the Muslim and Christian communities met and signed a peace agreement at the South Sulawesi resort town of Malino last February.

Although clashes between Muslims and Christians had not happened since the signing of the peace accord, explosions, shootings and other killings have continued to occur in Ambon and other parts of Maluku.