Saparua brawl claims five lives, police say

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)