Military issues shoot-on-sight order in Ambon

Military issues shoot-on-sight order in Ambon

JAKARTA (JP): The military issued a shoot-on-sight order in
Ambon on Thursday, the third day of violence between Muslims and
Christians in the Maluku provincial capital.

"We will strike and shoot on sight... the shooting on the
spot will be intended to immobilize them," Maluku Military
Commander Brig. Gen. Max Tamaella was quoted by Suara Pembaruan
afternoon daily as saying.

Residents in the Maluku capital of Ambon braced for more
violence as fires which razed shops owned by ethnic Chinese were
still burning on Thursday.

At least 17 people have been killed in Ambon since Tuesday,
including two people who were reported dead on Thursday.

"We won't sleep tonight," a resident in an area where some 200
homes were destroyed in unrest in January told The Jakarta Post.

Businesses and government offices remained closed on Thursday
and public transportation was nonexistent. The price of
vegetables had also risen, leading to fears of the kind of food
shortages seen during the earlier unrest.

"Long beans are now Rp 3,000," a woman said, compared to their
usual price of Rp 500 per bunch. She also said it was difficult
to find kerosene.

Neither passenger or cargo ships could dock at Yos Sudarso
port, instead docking at the Halong naval base some six
kilometers away.

AFP quoted a source in Ambon as saying: "There are not only no
shops open, but many of the wholesale shops have been burned down
as they are mostly located along A.Y. Patti." He was referring to
a street where a number of shops have been razed.

Passengers arriving at the naval base were charged up to Rp
200,000 for the trip from the base to downtown Ambon in rental
cars, Cynthia, a passenger arriving from Jakarta, said.

"We were told that security personnel had to accompany us in
the car," she said.

Meanwhile, residents of Jl. Nona Sar Sopakua reported the
discovery of the body of an elderly man.

AFP reported on Thursday that three people were treated for
various injuries at Bakti Rahayu Hospital and another person died
late Wednesday.

"A man identified as Peter Ayawaila died of gunshot wounds on
Wednesday night at 9 p.m," Tetelepta, a nurse at the hospital,
said.

Antara reported from Ambon that Tual in Southeast Maluku was
tense as groups of residents armed with sharp weapons were
guarding their neighborhoods. Women, the young and the elderly
had sought shelter.

Police in Tual are on "full-alert", the news agency reported,
adding that security forces were guarding several main streets.

Following clashes on Saturday on the outskirts of the capital,
some 450 marines were deployed to Ambon at the request of Maluku
Military Commander Brig. Gen. Max Tamaella.

Military command spokesman Lt. Col. Iwa Budiman told the Post
that as of 9 p.m. on Wednesday at least 15 people had been killed
and 124 injured, including five security personnel.

He said the violence over the weekend was triggered by an
incident of stone throwing between Muslims and Christians, as
well as the torching of several homes in a low-cost housing
complex.

A total of 60 homes were burned over the weekend.

Violence in the province has killed some 350 people since mid-
January and tens of thousands have become refugees.

Both Muslims and Christians have accused security personnel of
being biased. "If security personnel are seen acting unfairly
please report it to us, but with evidence," Tamaella said on
Thursday.

In Ujungpandang, private air carrier Mandala Airlines has
halted its flights to Ambon due to the violence.

Head of Mandala's office at Hasanuddin Airport Weko Isyanto
said the management wished to avoid risks based on reports on the
security situation from Pattimura Airport in Ambon.

The management decided to "indefinitely" stop its daily
services, Weko told the Post at the airport on Thursday.

At least 154 passengers have been forced to postpone their
travel plans.

About 90 of them are from Ujungpandang, including those
heading home to Ambon.

Weko estimated the airline's losses at Rp 432 million in
ticket revenues, exclusive of parking fees and other
administrative costs.

Passengers are stranded and cargo delivery held up. Another
carrier, Merpati Nusantara Airlines, flies the route every Monday
and Saturday.

Jaones Pupellai of Merpati said the airline continued to
monitor regular security reports but its service was not
disrupted.

"We're still flying to Ambon because no change has been made
by the management in Jakarta," he said. (anr/48/27)