Hative Besar village death toll rises to 19
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Residents in Hative Besar village on Ambon island found on Wednesday 10 more bodies among the debris of houses burned in a communal clash on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to at least 19.
"Up to today, they have been able to evacuate 10 more bodies from the debris of three houses," said a staff member at the emergency post for refugees in Nehemia Protestant Church in Sirimau district.
Seven of the bodies, he said, have been buried in a local mass graveyard.
Riot-torn Ambon island witnessed communal clashes on Tuesday in three villages, namely Hative Besar in Teluk Ambon Baguala district, Galala in Sirimau district and Suli village in Salahutu district.
Dozens of houses were razed but fatalities, including First Sgt. M. Tarumaseli, were only recorded in Hative Besar.
According to local residents, Tuesday's clash occurred when local residents were about to attend a church service to mark the first day of a week of mourning declared by the All-Maluku Protestant Churches.
"They were trapped in their houses while getting ready for the service," he said.
Eighteen people are still being treated for injuries at Haulussy General Hospital in Ambon.
Dozens of local residents were left homeless and were forced to leave their village to take refuge in Gudang Arang and Tapal Kuda areas in Nusaniwe district.
The emergency post for refugees in Nehemia Protestant Church, in Nusaniwe district, received some 500 refugees, mostly women and children.
The church has arranged accommodation for some of the refugees at local residents' houses and at public buildings.
Separately, Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. I Made Yasa has ordered two armored tanks and a company of soldiers and a police Mobile Brigade company to stand guard in the village.
The security personnel were ordered to conduct a sweeping operation to prevent riots breaking out and spreading to other areas and to facilitate evacuation efforts for victims.
He denied the accusation that the military failed to take quick action to curb the rioting, saying that the delay was due to a blockade set up by rioters and that the area was difficult to defend because the attackers came from the hills.
Tension continued to escalate in Ambon, with attackers launching fresh attacks in Galala village and in Suli village on Tuesday night.
In a related development, a series of bombings occurred on Tuesday night in Karang Panjang, Trikora and Mardika areas, and in Sirimau district on Tuesday evening.
Asylum
Separately in Jakarta, six young men from Maluku jumped over the fence into the compound of the Swiss Embassy to reportedly seek political asylum on Wednesday.
Embassy counselor Werner Wiedmer confirmed the incident, but dismissed reports that the men were demanding political asylum.
Wiedmer refused to comment further, saying that the embassy had no official statement on the matter.
"There will be a meeting, scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday) to further discuss the matter," Wiedmer said.
The six, calling themselves the Mahamuda Siwalima, are urging the Indonesian government to deal with the masterminds behind the Maluku conflict, which they claim is politically motivated.
"This (action) is so that the problem of Ambon can be seriously regarded by the international community," one of them said, while 14 other Maluku people shouted their support from outside the embassy compound.
The group pledged to remain there until a settlement was reached. (lup/50)