Fresh violence in Ambon, 11 injured

Fresh violence in Ambon, 11 injured

AMBON, Maluku (JP): Explosions erupted and gunshots rang out
again in ravaged Ambon city on Wednesday, leaving at least 11
people injured.

Heavily armed rioters raided the areas of Trikora, Pohon Pule,
Diponegoro and Paradise Tengah in downtown Ambon at about 11
a.m., causing panic among passersby, motorists and local
residents.

According to data from Dr. Haulussy General Hospital, Bakti
Rahayu and Al Fatah Islamic Hospital, most of the victims were
suffering from bomb shrapnel and gunshot wounds. They were
between 21 and 30 years old.

The incident was triggered by a road crash involving two cars
at the end of Pohon Pule bridge at about 9 a.m. local time.

One of the drivers, Stevy Hattu, fled the scene in his car as
soldiers near the site opened fire to stop the vehicle.

The 30-year-old driver said he did not want to stop as there
was a group of armed men approaching the scene.

"I had to take a victim of the car crash to hospital. It would
have been ridiculous if I had turned myself over to those
rioters," he told reporters at Dr. Haulussy General Hospital.

Civil emergency executor Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina
confirmed the incident later in the day.

Concerning the Waai incident which killed at least 23 people
on Tuesday, Latuconsina said that the security troops were
mistakenly guarding the abandoned village and its water supply,
not the refugees.

"After visiting the village, I saw troops only guarding the
empty border line of Waai, which is located about 28 kilometers
south of Ambon.

"They were supposed to be securing the refugees up the hill,
about one-kilometer from Waai," he said.

Latuconsina admitted that he had received information that a
group of soldiers opened fire on the Waai refugees in Tuesday's
fray.

The governor also visited the neighboring, predominantly
Muslim, villages of Liang and Tulehu, whose residents reportedly
attacked Waai at least three times last month.

"I warned the locals from Liang and Tulehu not to be easily
provoked as it was clear that a third party was playing with the
situation here. They said Waai people initiated the attack,"
Latuconsina said.

A company from the National Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob)
has been deployed to safeguard the Waai refugees.

Separately, an inventory team assessing damage in the arson
attack on a 30-hectare compound of state Pattimura University in
Poka and Rumahtiga villages on July 4 estimated on Wednesday that
the losses could reach more than Rp 1 trillion.

Policemen

Meanwhile, at least 130 police officers based in the province
of Maluku have quit the ravaged area for safer places, including
South Sulawesi, as interreligious conflicts have yet to recede.

Several officers interviewed by The Jakarta Post at Makassar
Police Headquarters on Wednesday said they were just seeking safe
places for their families.

"We want to return to Maluku after we are sure that our
families are in safe places with their relatives here," First
Sgt. Abdullah said. "But if permitted (by the commander), we'd
prefer to live here. We wish we had the opportunity to be moved
here," Abdullah said, claiming to represent his fellow officers.

He said there had been three deployments of police officers to
the area and that the latest, made up of dozens of personnel,
along with their families, arrived in Makassar on the Lambelu
vessel on Tuesday.

South Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Sofyan Jacob confirmed
the exodus, denying allegations that the policemen had escaped
from duty.

"Some of them had official permits from their superiors. While
others, with their families, had to rush to leave Maluku for
security reasons. This is very understandable," Sofyan said.

The policemen handed over 67 guns they brought with them to
the Makassar headquarters, he said.

He said coordination with Maluku Police Headquarters had been
organized to arrange the return of the officers to Maluku.
(49/edt/27/sur)