Semblance of calm returns to town of Kuala Kapuas

JAKARTA (JP): Calm returned to the town of Kuala Kapuas in Central Kalimantan on Friday amid reports that a total of 17 people have been killed in five days of communal clashes in the area.

As of Friday, Antara reported that, based on field information, 17 people have been killed in open clashes which first broke out on Sunday between the native Dayaks and migrant Madurese in the villages of Sungai Pasah, Pulang Pisau, Barimba and Pangkoh.

Five others were seriously injured in the fray.

Of the total fatalities, four were killed in Sungai Pasah village, four in Pulang Pisau, four in Barimba, and three in Pangkoh, the news agency said.

The casualties reportedly came from both sides.

"So far the situation around Kuala Kapuas is still tense but under control. We suggest people stay home at night and avoid possible provocation or disputes," said Kuala Kapuas district police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Saiful Maltha.

It was not clear what had caused the fighting between the Dayaks and the Madurese settlers around Kuala Kapuas.

A tight security cordon was deployed to escort a total of 800 migrant settlers who escaped the communal clashes in Kapuas district on Friday.

The evacuation of the migrants -- who first gathered at the Pananjung Tarung sports center in the capital city of Kuala Kapuas on Thursday -- was conducted by a joint Army and police force under the threat of angry native Dayaks.

Using 11 trucks and two minibuses, the refugees headed for Trisakti harbor in Banjarmasin, capital of neighboring South Kalimantan province, which is located about 40 kilometers away from Kuala Kapuas.

The convoy arrived safely at Banjarmasin on Friday evening, the news agency reported.

Some 600 officers had also been dispatched to Kuala Kapuas to prevent indigenous Dayaks from attacking settlers from other parts of Indonesia.

"Security forces will escort the refugees to Banjarmasin to prevent possible attacks from the Dayaks," an officer said.

More than 700 refugees have already been escorted from the area, while a shoot-on-sight order has been imposed against rioters instigating further unrest in the area.

In Palangkaraya, the capital of Central Kalimantan, tension gripped the city as sporadic arson attacks were still evident here on Thursday and Friday.

The news agency reported that the attacks took place on migrant houses along Jl. Panglima Tampei in Langkai village, Pahandut district.

In Jakarta, Minister of Health and Social Welfare Achmad Sujudi said that there are some 80,000 Madurese refugees residing in cities of East Java, mostly in Bangkalan and Sampang.

"It is hard for us to cope with this large number of refugees as we have limited sources and funds ... we badly need help and we have to administer it quickly so they can get on their feet again," Sujudi said on Friday.

Tension escalated in Kuala Kapuas last week when a local group warned Madurese to leave town by March 21 or face "unwanted things".

Dayak attacks in Sampit and the provincial capital of Palangkaraya last month left at least 500 people dead, many of whom were beheaded.

Thousands of other Madurese fled the province or were evacuated for their own safety.

The clashes between Dayaks and Madurese have been blamed on cultural differences between the two communities and the dominance of the Madurese in the local economy. (edt)