Maluku violence spreads to Bacan

TERNATE, North Maluku (JP): At least 250 people from several villages have been evacuated to local military installations as communal clashes hit Bacan island in South Halmahera, a military officer said on Wednesday.

The unrest came during the visit of Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri to the territory, which has seen more than a year of conflict between Muslim and Christian communities.

North Maluku military chief Lt. Col. Sutrisno said the initial clash erupted early on Monday and continued until Tuesday.

"If possible we will send more military personnel to the island," Sutrisno said. Only some 170 security personnel are posted across the district.

Bacan is four hours away from Ternate by speedboat.

Sutrisno said the situation was now under control but troops remained on alert for a possible renewal of the clashes. He added that there were no reported fatalities in the violence.

But a spokesman for Bacan Sultan Syeikh Abubakar said at least 25 people were killed in the clashes, which affected the villages of Labuha, East Bacan, Songa, Tawa, Tobajaya, Tutupa and Tigaraja.

"We wait for our sultan, who is now in Jakarta, to approach the conflicting groups for peace talks," he said.

He described the situation as tense, saying the capital of the district was deserted after people fled their homes for fear of further violence.

In Ambon, foreign envoys, representatives of the United Nations Development Fund and Minister of Settlement and Territorial Development Erna Witoelar met with Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina and local religious and community leaders to obtain firsthand information on the situation in the riot-torn area.

"We discussed the latest security conditions as well as plans for reconciliation and rehabilitating facilities in areas hit by riots, namely Ambon island, Central Maluku, North Maluku and Southeast Maluku," Erna said. (49/edt)