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JP/5/rusuh

One killed, houses burned in tribal riot

Yemris Fointuna
The Jakarta Post
Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara

At least one person has been killed and two others wounded during
a tribal clash between residents from two villages in Kupang
regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), police and officials said on
Wednesday.

Dozens of houses were also looted during the riot that broke
out on Tuesday night between Naputitu tribespeople, from
Wadumaddi village in Mehara subdistrict and their Nataga rivals
from Ledeana village in West Sabu subdistrict.

The clash was likely triggered by a long-standing borderline
dispute between residents of the two villages.

The West Sabu police said that based on the report of a
witness, only one person was killed at the scene.

"From the Nataga tribe, one died and two houses were set on
fire, while from the Naputitu side, two men sustained gunshot
wounds," local police officer First Brig. Kim Sula said.

He said police and military personnel had been deployed to the
violence-torn area to prevent the situation from worsening and to
enforce security.

Yustina Kana Nyola, a nurse at the Seba community health
center (Puskesmas), identified the dead as Riwu Ratu, 51, from
Ledeana village.

She described the death as "savage" and "inhuman", as the
victim had suffered injuries all over his body.

Ratu's throat was slit and his skull was fractured, Yustina
explained.

She said that the victim's body had been missing an arm, his
heart and nose had been cut out, he had been stabbed in the chest
and his legs were seriously wounded.

The fighting had erupted despite the Kupang regency
administration's efforts to solve the borderline dispute through
talks between the two tribes. The talks had failed to initiate a
solution.

However, Sabu Barat subdistrict head Wempy Imanuel Riwu
claimed the violent incident had nothing to do with the land
dispute.

He said at least eight people had been arrested as suspects
and were being held at the local police office.

Riwu claimed that the situation at the scene had generally
been under control.