Fresh violence hits Ambon, nine people killed

Fresh violence hits Ambon, nine people killed

Oktovianus Pinontoan, The Jakarta Post, Ambon

Gunmen opened fire on the Haturua speedboat in Teluk Ambon
Baguala Bay, in the Maluku province capital of Ambon, on
Wednesday morning, killing nine passengers and injuring two
others.

The incident took place about one week after a group of armed
men set off a strong explosion on board the KM Kalifornia on
Teluk Ambon Bay, killing at least 11 people and injuring 45
others.

Wednesday's incident took place at about 6:20 a.m. local time
when the Haturua, bound for Benteng Port from Galala, was
attacked by a group of armed men in waters between Batu Merah and
Rumahtiga, civil emergency spokesman Maj. Marthen Luther Djari
confirmed later in the day.

The assailants tossed bombs and fired shots at the speedboat,
killing nine people almost instantly. Two others survived the
incident but sustained gunshot wounds, an official at the Navy
Hospital said.

The nine casualties have been identified as Roy Yohanes, I.
Toha, Ito Verhahen, Ubertina Reawaruw, Sarah Sampe, Pola Pirsouw,
Yongky Sahusiwa, Ms. In Rumalaiselang and Agustina Wattimena.

The two survivors are Ms. Oya Manuputty and Stephanus H.
Information gathered from witnesses said that the speedboat was
being chased by a group of gunmen on a speeding vessel. The
assailants started to toss bombs, but the speedboat managed to
avoid them.

However, the speedboat experience engine trouble not long
after and its engine died, witnesses said.

The assailants reportedly opened fire on the speedboat, but a
patrol boat with six marines on board tried to stop the attack.
After being fired upon, the patrol boat sped off toward shore to
call for reinforcements.

However, when the marines returned to the site, the attackers
had gone.

The incident triggered fury among Christians in Maluku, who
later marched to the governor's office in Ambon to protest the
civil emergency administrator's incompetence in dealing with
armed attackers.

Rev. Broery Hendriks, head of the Maluku Protestant Church
(GPM) synod, pacified the people gathered at the governor's
office by leading prayers and asking them to remain calm.

"Please do not resort to violence. This is not the solution.
Let's continue our struggle in peace," Hendriks said.

The reverend eventually met with Maluku Governor Saleh
Latuconsina, along with several other leading Maluku figures.

Latuconsina failed to make a statement, but later in the
evening the governor along with the Maluku Police chief and the
Pattimura Military commander held a closed-door meeting at the
governor's office.

"I believe that the central government has to take care of the
situation immediately, because the civil emergency administrator
is helpless in dealing with the situation," Hendriks said.

Hendriks also expressed disappointment in the government,
which he said seemed to ignore the problems in Maluku. "It only
talks about Papua, Aceh and Poso, but forgets about Maluku, while
people are dying here," he said.

Window: A civil state of emergency has been imposed in both Maluku and
North Maluku provinces since June 23, 2000 so as to restore order
in the provinces. But tension and conflict continue to rage in
Maluku, especially on Ambon and Buru islands. Maluku Governor
Saleh Latuconsina along with the central government is planning
to review the civil state of emergency. "If the condition does
not improve, we might as well turn the handling of Maluku's
problems over to the central government," Latuconsina has said.