Mataram residents flee after clash
Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara
Some 250 people from Peresak hamlet took refuge to safer locations after a brawl in the hamlet between Peresak residents and rivals from neighboring Karang Genteng hamlet, early on Friday morning.
Peresak residents fled their homes after they felt insecure following the bloody brawl that killed two people and injured 10 others.
The refugees are now staying at their relatives' homes away from Pagutan subdistrict, Mataram city, where the two hamlets are located.
Fairuz, from Peresak, said that he would only return to his house if the situation returned to normal and the police could give an assurance about the safety of residents.
At least 10 homes in Peresak were damaged after the incident.
"To prevent such an incident from recurring, the government should build a wall separating Peresak and Karang Genteng hamlets," said Fairuz.
The two neighboring hamlets are separated only by a shallow river 3 meters wide.
Following the incident, the police searched for sharp weapons and firearms in dwellings in the two hamlets, discovering two homemade rifles.
They were found buried in a cemetery at Karang Genteng. "We are identifying the owners of the rifles," said chief of Mataram police precinct Adj. Sr. Comr. Benny Mokalu.
The police also seized from dwellings in the two hamlets 44 arrows, two swords, eight machetes, five knives, 15 bamboo spears and two molotov cocktails.
Meanwhile, a team of doctors at Mataram general hospital removed two bullets from the head of two dead victims in the incident, Mujahir and Anwar, both from Peresak, after an autopsy.
Police are investigating the type of the rifles.
"The perpetrators were quite skilled because they shot the two victims precisely in the head," said Benny.
Four wounded people are still being treated at the hospital, while another, Jamal, was taken to a better-equipped hospital in Bali. Five others wounded in the incident have been allowed to go home.
Benny said that the police would continue to tighten security in the area. In order to prevent further clashes in the two hamlets, the Mataram local government would build a wall to separate the two hamlets 500 meters long and 2.5 meters high, he said.
The precise cause of the feud on Friday was still unknown, but it appeared to be a continuation of a previous conflict that occurred between the two hamlets on Dec. 29.
That was precipitated by a trivial misunderstanding between youths from the two hamlets, located on Lombok island, which lies adjacent to Bali.