Halmahera tense after riots

Halmahera tense after riots

AMBON, Maluku (JP): Tension prevailed on Friday in Halmahera
in North Maluku following a series of communal clashes earlier in
the week that left at least 30 people dead and dozens injured.

Chief of Pattimura Military Command overseeing Maluku Brig.
Gen. Max Tamaela said sporadic clashes erupted on Wednesday and
Thursday in the districts of Gane Timur, Gane Barat and Galela on
the eastern part of the island.

The violence on Wednesday pitted residents of the neighboring
villages of Fidda and Maffa, claiming three lives. The following
day, 27 people were killed in a clash involving residents of
Matuting, Akelamo and Batoman villages.

At least 146 buildings, including two places of worship, were
burned during the unrest.

Tamaela said the number of casualties would have been lower if
the people did not resort to direct confrontations.

"Our security forces were trapped in the middle during the
clashes. We lack personnel in the remote areas," Tamaela said,
adding that the troops could not avoid shooting at the crowds who
were already out of control.

Tamaela said he did not know the motive behind the conflict,
but speculated the unrest was partly because local community
leaders were not active enough in calling on people to exercise
restraint.

Fresh violence was also reported in Bula, East Seram, since
Thursday, but no reports of casualties were available, he said.

Several houses were burned but details remained sketchy.

Tamaela said violence in East Halmahera since January involved
Christian villagers against predominantly Muslim migrants,
similar to the first phase of the unrest in Ambon.

The Gane violence followed the pullout of troops, who were
redeployed to Morotai island in North Halmahera to quell
sectarian clashes.

Maluku has been relatively calm after year-long communal
conflicts since January last year. More than 2,000 people have
been killed. (49/edt).