Four shot dead, 10 hurt in latest ferry attack

Oktovianus Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Ambon, Maluku

The prospect of peace in Maluku seems even more remote following an attack on a ferry in waters off Haruku island, which left four passengers dead, one missing and 10 injured.

Survivors and a police officer, First Brig. Yulianus Malekosa, who was wounded in the right hand in the ensuing gunfight, said the attackers wore military outfits and had covered their faces. They fired rifles from a range of 20 meters to 30 meters.

Yulianus said the assailants also tossed explosives at the ferry, but missed.

The latest incident comes one month after a massacre in Soya village near Ambon last April, which some witnesses said was committed by well-trained people. The motives behind the Soya killing, as well as other outbreaks of violence that erupted after the peace pact was signed in Malino in South Sulawesi in February, remain unknown.

Maluku Police chief Brig. Soenarko said on Sunday the identity of the ferry attackers remains obscure.

"So far we can only say that the attackers were armed," said Soenarko. "I regret the fact that there are still some groups of people who deliberately perpetrate unrest, which claims the lives of civilians."

He said a group of armed people on board at least two speedboats opened fire on the KM Oyo Star ferry which was on a regular trip between Kamariang village on Seram island and Haria village on Saparua island at 6:30 a.m. local time on Saturday.

The casualties, identified as Dominggus Patirulan, Salmon Kainama, Lukas Latuperissa and David, and the missing person, Samuel Aponno, were among 23 people on board the ferry.

Salmon Pentury, Welem Tapilatu, Leo Abrahams, Marice Oktoseya, Cory Pattiapon, Kace Wenno, Christian, Yohanes, Yulianus and Malekosa were the passengers injured in the incident.

Soenarko said two police officers, Yulianus and First. Brig. Yaheskel Makuker, also suffered gunshot wounds in an action-packed chase after the attackers.

He said the outnumbered police officers ran too low in ammunition to continue the chase.

While Yulianus said the assailants were on two speedboats, some of the other surviving passengers claimed to see four speedboats.

Several passengers jumped into the water as soon as the attack began. One of them, Semmy Tarlutu, was rescued by the Sarpayos speedboat away from the site of incident in the waters off Hulaliu village.

Soenarko said the two injured officers would be flown to Jakarta for further medical treatment. Both are currently being treated at Bhakti Rahayu Hospital in Ambon, capital of Maluku. The ferry passengers injured were admitted to Saparua Hospital.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Pattimura Military Command overseeing Maluku, Maj. Herry Suhardi, denied any link to the attackers.

"I'm sure the attackers were not military members. I hope people understand that there are efforts by a certain group to pit us against each other," Herry stressed.

He said the local military was taking part in the investigation into the attack.