Four people killed in latest Ambon clash

AMBON, Maluku (JP): At least four people were killed early Monday and dozens of others were injured here in Auhuru subdistrict after a clash erupted between youths.

Scores of houses were burned and damaged during the outbreak of violence, which was quashed after security troops arrived at the scene and fired warning shots.

Heavy rain later helped troops disperse the crowd, who carried homemade rifles, Molotov cocktails and sharp weapons.

An official at the Al-Fatah Hospital identified two of the victims as La Bobi and Nurdin Luhulima. Other hospitals reportedly received three other victims: Lesbasa, 16, Semi Sopacua, 32, Abraham Lespata, 17, and Johanis Latukolan.

The cause of the fatal clash, which began at about 6 a.m. on Monday, was unclear. Witnesses could only say that one group of youths attacked another.

Deputy chief of the Ambon Police precinct Maj. Budi Tono said he could only confirm the death of four victims. He added that 16 people were seriously injured.

"There are attempts by certain groups to create chaos in Ambon," said Budi.

Budi also confirmed that two people died following a clash on Sunday in Haruku district, in Central Maluku regency.

He said that on the same day, an unidentified man was shot dead by security personnel after ambushing a military post in Rinjani subdistrict, Ambon, with homemade bombs.

Hundreds of people have died following a surge of ethnic and religious tensions in Maluku at the beginning of the year. The almost daily clashes have caused havoc to the local economy.

Meanwhile, a dozen Irianese students from Pattimura University's polytechnics left Ambon last week, citing the unstable security reasons.

Student Tonny Agapa said the students could not continue their studies amid the uncertainty and rampant violence in the province.

Tonny said at least 58 university students had earlier left Maluku.

He expressed hope that they could continue their studies at private universities in the Irian Jaya capital of Jayapura.

Tonny said the students condemned Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina for his failure to protect Irianese students. He said they especially protested his failure to stop the killings of three "West Papua" rebels during a recent clash in Ambon. (48/prb)