Gus Dur visits riot-torn Sampit

Gus Dur visits riot-torn Sampit

JAKARTA (JP): Less than 24-hours after arriving from his
overseas trip, President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid flew to
Central Kalimantan, which included a brief visit to the riot torn
town of Sampit.

The President's visit was mainly focussed on the provincial
capital of Palangkaraya where he held a dialog with community
leaders.

In contrast, his visit to Sampit, the flashpoint of the riots
which has claimed some 400 dead, was brief as he was whisked in
and out of the town in less than half an hour.

Ahead of the visit the Presidential Palace issued a statement
in which it outlined four initiatives the government would take
to alleviate the conflict and suffering.

These initiatives were generally perceived as appeasement
towards the indigenous Dayaks.

They include the return of sacred land to the Dayak tribe.
"The government realizes that development must not collide with
the culture and values of the local community," the statement
said.

Other steps to be taken are rehabilitating damaged public
facilities, 100 scholarships to needy elementary and highschool
Dayak children, and rice aid to victims of the conflict.

The statement did not elaborate on possible reconciliation
efforts between the two ethnic groups.

Abdurrahman himself did not expand much on possible
reconciliation during his visit and many of his comments also
seemed supportive of complaints of several Dayak community
figures who, during the dialog in Palangkaraya criticized the
Madurese settlers' acts which are alleged to have aggravated the
situation.

"I asked the governor to keep a close eye on certain Madurese
who may act harmfully," Abdurrahman remarked as quoted by Antara.

The President was accompanied during the visit by First Lady
Sinta Nuriyah, Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Coordinating Minister
for Economic Affairs Rizal Ramli, Minister of Defense Mahfud MD
and Indonesian Military Chief Adm. Widodo AS.

But the President's visit to Palangkaraya later on sparked off
some violence as demonstrators demanding a resolution to the
Sampit conflict clashed with security forces.

It peaked just after the presidential entourage left
Palangkaraya. At least one person, identified as Wardifon, 20,
died after he was hit by a bullet in the head.

"Wardifon died of a bullet but we don't know whether it was a
live or rubber bullet. What's clear is that the bullet entered
from the left and came out of the right of his head," Dr. Uus
Ara, a doctor at Dorris Silvan Hospital was quoted by Antara as
saying.

Sampit

Meanwhile in Sampit, some 220-kilometers west of Palangkaraya,
gunshots were still heard ringing but there were no reports of
mass violence.

"Gunfire is still occasionally heard but the situation is
relatively calm here...Troops are conducting a routine patrol,
especially in the jungles to locate possible Madurese refugees,"
East Kotawaringin regent Wahyudi K. Anwar told The Jakarta Post
by telephone from Sampit.

As refugee camps which had been filled by mainly Madurese
settlers are now empty since they have all been evacuated to East
Java, the focus now turns to locating those who may still be
hiding in the jungles.

"The most important thing is to stop the bloodshed and talk
more to both moderate and hardline Dayaks about this," he
remarked.

According to Wahyudi, during his stop in Sampit the President
donated Rp 200 million toward the rehabilitation effort.

Meanwhile on Madura Island, fears of reprisals against
Madurese came true as two ethnic Dayaks, identified as Uhum, 30
and Marie, 35, were killed on Wednesday by a mob in Ketapang Laok
village, Sampang regency.

"When police arrived, the two male bodies were already
mutilated and their heads had been chopped off...Then they were
burned by the mob in the street at Ketapang," Sampang Police
chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Lukman Wahyu said on Thursday.

The two men had joined the evacuation from Sampit with their
Madurese wives.

Police have questioned four people but have yet to make an
arrest. (dja/edt/nur)