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)