Six killed, 18 injured in fresh Ambon fighting
Six killed, 18 injured in fresh Ambon fighting
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Ambon was still tense on Sunday following
clashes between troops and armed rioters at the border between
Batu Merah and Mardika areas that left at least six people dead
and 18 others wounded, officials and witnesses said.
Public minivan driver Daniel Kaya and speedboat passenger Beny
were also severely injured on Saturday in separate clashes in
Pohon Pule in downtown Ambon and off Rumah Tiga beach.
"The incidents at the Batu Merah-Mardika area late on Friday
will become a lesson to any parties instigating an attack.
"Stern measures will be taken against rioters, regardless of
their religion," Pattimura Military Commander Brig. Gen. I Made
Yasa said on Saturday.
Most survivors suffered gunshot and shrapnel wounds and were
being treated at Al Fatah Islamic Hospital.
The Friday episode began when youths from the predominantly
Muslim Batu Merah subdistrict reportedly stole roofing materials
from abandoned houses in the Christian Mardika area.
"Reports said a group of men from Mardika forcibly took a
motorbike from a Muslim woman shortly afterwards," Yasa said.
Witnesses said armed Christian and Muslim mobs then took to
the streets.
The warring groups had reached about 150 meters into the
Mardika area before troops divided them and tried to disperse
them, a local reporter said.
"Troops fired warning shots and the Mardika camp backed away.
"But attackers from Batu Merah continued their assault by
launching mortars, homemade bombs and spraying bullets at
security personnel. Open fighting became inevitable." the
reporter said.
General Yasa said that casualties were unavoidable.
"The troops in the field had their lives on the line. We have
already warned the rioters," Yasa added.
Later on Saturday, the cause of Friday's rioting -- a Yahama
motorbike -- was handed over to the civil emergency administrator
by the Maluku Protestant Church (GPM). It was later transferred
to the secretary of the Maluku chapter of the Indonesian Ulemas
Council (MUI), Malik Selang.
Up until Sunday morning, explosions and gunfire were still
being heard from several abandoned housing complexes in Ambon.
Kopassus
Yasa also said that a fresh batch of 450 personnel from the
Navy, Army and Air Force special forces arrived in Ambon on Aug.
9.
"The group, which comprises of members of the Air Force Elite
Unit (Paskhas), the Marines, the Army Strategic Reserves Command
(Kostrad) and the Army's Special Force (Kopassus), will function
as a tactical combat unit and only be used in certain emergency
situations.
"They won't be placed in security posts and will remain as
special reserved troops," Yasa said.
Yasa said Kopassus' main function would be intelligence.
"As the Pattimura Military Command was only reestablished on
May 15 last year, we badly need a special intelligence unit's
expertise. Therefore the military headquarters formed a task
force, consisting of three military units, including Kopassus.
"Intelligence is the basis of a military command, so its
(Kopassus) function here is to become the eyes and the ears of
the (Pattimura) military command," Yasa said.
Daniel Kaya, the public minivan driver who was shot on
Saturday met Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina three hours after
being operated on.
"We demand the authorities wipe out all snipers roaming our
route," Daniel said. He then gave the projectile taken from his
back to the governor.
"I will coordinate this with security troops," Latuconsina
told the group of protesting drivers. (49/edt)