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)