Four people killed in latest Ambon clash

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)