Sectarian violence back on streets of Ambon

JAKARTA (JP): After a fairly peaceful election campaign, violence broke out in Ambon, Maluku, on Wednesday.

Tension again flared between Christians and Muslims before and after a United Development Party (PPP) campaign in the Muslim- dominated area of Galunggung in Batumerah Atas village.

As of late Wednesday, there were no reports of casualties. The main targets of violence on Wednesday were public transportation passengers. The vehicles were able to speed away when crowds began pelting stones at them.

Before entering the PPP rally site at the local soccer field in the afternoon, party supporters on trucks began throwing stones at public transportation vehicles believed to be carrying Christians, a witness said.

PPP supporters became upset when security personnel at the border of Batumerah and Mardika, a Christian-dominated area, halted their street rally.

Around the same time, Christians in Mardika area were throwing stones at public transportation vehicles believed to be carrying Muslims.

Public transportation vehicles bear the names of the areas from which they are traveling, a telling sign of whether they are coming from Muslim or Christian enclaves. At least three vehicles were damaged in Galunggung.

However, a rally by the Christian-leaning Love the Nation Democratic Party (PDKB) near the PPP campaign site was undisturbed.

Around 6:30 p.m., crowds gathered around Al Fatah Mosque and Silo Church. PPP supporters pelted stones at stores near the mosque owned by Chinese-Indonesians. Security forces, which have been on alert since January, were able to prevent the situation from deteriorating.

Police refused to comment on the incident, which was in stark contrast to previous campaigns involving Muslim-based parties, only saying they did not have information on victims and that they would address the media on Thursday.

On Tuesday, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) held a peaceful rally in Ambon, with some 25,000 people turning out to welcome chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Meanwhile, Ambon is bracing for a campaign appearance on Thursday by Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid of the National Awakening Party (PKB). He arrived in Ambon on Wednesday afternoon.

Police have not said if they are making special preparations for the PKB campaign.

Muslim residents here were upset when Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, blamed the violence in Ambon on the nepotistic practice of placing too many Muslim officials in the local administration, upsetting the balance between Muslims and Christians in the once seemingly harmonious province.

Hundreds of people have been killed in Ambon and tens of thousands of people have fled the province in recent months.

In Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, where at least 11 people were injured in clashes among party supporters and university students on Tuesday, students from six universities called for the rejection of Megawati as a presidential candidate.

They also urged the public not to vote for PDI Perjuangan.

In the clashes here on Tuesday, supporters of PDI Perjuangan tore down a banner on the campus of the Indonesian Muslim University (UMI) which said Islam did not approve of women from becoming leaders.

PDI Perjuangan believes the issue of gender is being used to harm Megawati's presidential aspirations.

Five Muslim parties here -- PPP, PKB, the Indonesian Muslim Party (PUMI), the New Masyumi Party and the Suni Party -- have rejected the possibility of a female president.

Students set on fire a billboard bearing the likeness of Megawati and made passersby remove their PDI Perjuangan T-shirts.

The rector of UMI, Mansyur Ramly, said the banner was meant to remind Muslims to seriously consider before choosing their next leader and was not meant to offend anyone.

Meanwhile, in Brebes regency, Central Java, Golkar Party members and supporters were pelted with stones, leaving two injured, Central Java Golkar secretary Sutoyo Abdi said.

On Tuesday, dozens of Golkar security guards were pelted with stones and rotten eggs. Unknown persons also vandalized 500 Golkar flags on Tuesday night. Some 1,000 PPP flags in Sragen, Central Java, were also vandalized on Wednesday. (48/30/har)