Saparua brawl claims five lives, police say

AMBON, Maluku (JP): The provincial police confirmed on Friday that four residents and a police officer had died in Thursday's brawl on nearby Saparua Island.

Maluku Police spokesman Maj. P.H. Jekriel identified the victims as Gany Sanaky, Obet Kaplale, Philipus Kaya, Wenan Sapulete and police Corp. Essau (Tjao) Huwaa.

Jekriel confirmed that Huwaa died of a gunshot wound, but said police had not determined who had fired at the police officer.

"There are many Saparua people who are capable of assembling home-made rifles. And it's common for them to use the guns, including during conflicts," he told reporters at his office.

He said police had found eight people who were injured in the clash, mostly suffering gunshot wounds, including Saparua Police chief First Lt. A.R. Tatuh and elite police Mobile Brigade member Second Sgt. Minaryo.

Saparua hospital staff identified nine wounded victims.

Jekriel also confirmed that nine houses were burnt and 10 others were destroyed by the angry mobs.

A clash between residents of the Ulath and Sirisori villages erupted on Thursday. Ulath is predominantly Christian while Sirisori has balanced Muslim and Christian populations. But, police dismissed suggestions that the clash was religiously motivated, saying it was instead triggered by a dispute over attacks on 300 clove trees belonging to 11 farmers.

"The police see the conflict as having originated from the dispute over clove trees," he said. "And fresh conflicts may erupt as there is a possibility that the clove price will continue increasing from its current Rp 35,000 (US$5.2) per kilogram."

Peace and order had reportedly returned to the area when Maluku Police chief Col. Bugis Saman and Maluku Military commander Brig. Gen. Max M. Tamaela arrived at the site of the conflict on Friday morning.

Months of religious conflicts between Muslims and Christians that first erupted in Ambon in mid-January killed more than 400 people and forced more than 100,000 to flee to various refugee centers.

A peace pact between the groups was agreed on in May, but violence continued. A mass brawl between school students exploded last week, but nobody was killed.

Provincial capital Ambon, however, was left unaffected by the violence in Saparua. Economic and office activities as well as schooling continued as usual, while Muslims said their Friday prayers at various mosques, including Al Fatah Mosque, where thousands of Muslims took refuge when the violence first started.

Meanwhile, Deputy Governor Paula B. Renyaan was quoted by Antara as calling on the people not to be incited by the unrest in Saparua. She expressed the hope that the unrest would not spread to other places.

"Please remember how bad our suffering was when the racial clashes broke out in January," she said. "The clashes claimed lives, destroyed properties, and damaged our human ties." (48/imn/swe)