More victims reported in Ambon violence

More victims reported in Ambon violence

AMBON, Maluku (JP): One man died and two were rushed to
Haulusi General Hospital in Ambon on Friday after being shot, a
hospital staff member said.

The employee told The Jakarta Post that Kalfin Rahangkelan,
38, died of a gunshot wound to the head while Rikard Ayal, 22,
and Nik Udra, 25, were both injured after being shot in the
chest.

Witnesses said members of the local military command shot the
men. Police and military authorities could not be reached for
comment. The incident took place about 4 p.m. in the Poka area
where dozens of homes were set on fire on Thursday.

On Friday fires were still seen in Poka and Laha areas in the
Maluku capital.

Antara news agency reported on Thursday full-scale riots in
the West Seram town of Piru some 70 kilometers north of Ambon,
Maluku's capital. Casualties were not reported.

From Ternate, the news agency reported violence in Halmahera
island, north Maluku. The clash between residents of two north
Maluku villages led to three people being killed, five injured
and 201 homes set on fire. The fighting was between the Sosol
village of Kao district and the Tahane village in Makian Maliful
district in Halmahera island. The victims of the Sosol village
were not identified.

The injured men were Munir, Ajar, M. Tahir, Halil Jaka and
Alimun, a police chief said.

The fighting in the area near the Kao Bay erupted around 5:30
a.m. Thursday. The situation was now under control as more
security personnel were deployed to the area, North Maluku police
chief Lt. Col. Didik Prijandono was quoted as saying.

"It was a purely criminal incident with no signs of religious
or ethnic conflict," Didik said.

However Antara reported the dispute was over plans to
integrate a number of villages with growing populations into the
Makian Malifut district.

In Kao, 105 homes and three worship places were set on fire
while in Makian Malifut, attackers set on fire 96 homes.

On Thursday dozens of villagers had escaped to forests, the
news agency reported, for fear of reprisals.

Police confiscated sharpened bamboo poles, machetes, arrows
and other sharp weapons.

Airport

Minister of Communications Giri S. Hadihardjono has requested
a guarantee for security to resume activities at the Pattimura
Airport in Ambon, Antara reported Friday.

In a letter dated Aug. 16 he asked the Minister of Defense and
Security/Indonesian Military Commander Gen. Wiranto to help
provide safety at the Ambon airport in Maluku.

The minister stressed the need for a guarantee of safety for
traffic and personnel at the Pattimura airport.

"Operations at the airport have virtually collapsed," the
report said, quoting the letter.

"Employees cannot work and without a guarantee of safety all
employees might leave their work place."

Since Aug. 17, commercial flights have been suspended due to
poor security conditions around the airport, where homes have
been set on fire.

The minister also referred to conditions at the Yos Sudarso
port where activities have had to be moved to the navy port in
Halong.

The head of the office of the ministry of industry and trade
here, Wim Therik, said while food supply in the province was
still sufficient, he feared residents would rush to buy up
remaining stocks. Provisions from outside Maluku could not reach
the province.

The hike in prices continues as one egg has doubled to Rp
1,650 from the previous price of Rp 800.

From Jakarta, activists demanded that President B.J. Habibie
and Gen. Wiranto act to stop the violence.

"Problems in Ambon are too great to be handled by a Governor
and military commander," the statement from six organizations,
including the International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development
said.

Unrest was also reported from Cilacap in Central Java. Around
400 youths from two villages in Jeruk Legi district clashed on
Friday. Several were rushed to hospital following the incident
involving iron bars and swords.

A witness told the Post that revenge was the reason for the
clash following a dispute on Sunday in which 10 youths from
Tritih village were injured by machetes. The motive for the
initial incident was unclear. A witness said Tritih youth
demanded Rp 5 million to pay for medical costs.

But youth from the other village Kauripan Kidul said the sum
was too high.

Police chief Lt. Col. Andi Lolo tried to encourage the youth
to make peace but until Friday afternoon an agreement had not
been reached. (48/anr/45)