Seven more arrested in Mamasa

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar

Some of the 1,500 refugees in Mamasa, South Sulawesi, began to head home on Saturday, as the situation has returned to normal in Aralle and Mambi districts, which were recently rocked by violence.

Security was given a boost when police arrested seven more people suspected of provoking clashes in the two districts, which claimed at least three lives.

Mambi district head Achmad Appa acknowledged that some refugees had returned home, but others stayed in the camps for fear of further attacks. Achmad had also called on police officers to beef up security in the district.

Separately, in the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, a top police officer explained on Saturday that the South Sulawesi Police had prepared nine trucks to transport the refugees home.

"Starting Sunday, we will take them home, as the situation returns to normal," said South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf, who also oversees West Sulawesi.

Saleh assured residents that there would be no clashes as police officers were tightly guarded the two districts and hunting down the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, Achmad expressed concern that if the refugees stayed in the camps any longer, food shortages would occur in the next few days. Besides, some refugees had begun to suffer diarrhea and respiratory problems, he said.

Separately, police officers arrested between Friday and Saturday seven more suspects in Aralle and Mambi, who were allegedly responsible for provoking violence in the two districts. The police also seized homemade rifles, machetes and spears from the suspects.

Earlier, police officers arrested six suspects in the case.

After the investigation, suspects Anton and Tindek were charged with murder, while Jumain, Marathan, Burhan and Milkias were accused of burning and vandalizing residential houses in Aralle district during clashes last Saturday.

Another suspect, Sarli, was charged with masterminding a riot in the area in September of last year, in which three people were killed.

"We are questioning more suspects," said Saleh.

The Mamasa conflict has simmered for over two years, since a law was passed splitting Polewali Mamasa into two regencies: Polewali Mamasa and Mamasa.

Muslim migrants, who are mostly grouped in the three districts of Aralle, Mambi and Tabulahan, protested the split, on the grounds that they would be the minority in the new regency of Mamasa, which is predominantly Christian.

The protest fell on the deaf ears of the central government, leading to clashes in September last year between those who supported and those who rejected the split. Three people were killed at that time and another three recently, when the violence continued.