Tension prevails in Ternate after weekend unrest

Tension prevails in Ternate after weekend unrest

AMBON, Maluku (JP): Tension enveloped the North Maluku capital
of Ternate on Sunday following a fresh communal clash overnight
in which at least four people died.

The situation appeared under control after reinforcement
troops were deployed to the trouble spots of Tanah Tinggi,
Perumnas, Kalumata and Kayu Merah villages, all in South Ternate
subdistrict.

Dozens were injured when the conflict broke out on Saturday at
7:30 a.m. local time. Thousands have sought refuge in a number of
military installations and hundreds of businesspeople reportedly
have left by ferry for Manado, capital of North Sulawesi.

Tension also gripped neighboring Tidore Island.

Witnesses said the violence appeared to be linked to unrest
which occurred about midnight on Wednesday in Soa Siu town in
Central Halmahera regency. Eight people were killed and dozens
injured in the clash in which three houses of worship and at
least 100 homes were set ablaze.

Official confirmation of the cause of the deaths and details
of the incidents were not immediately available. Chief of the
North Maluku Military Command Lt. Col. Slamet and his police
counterpart Lt. Col. Didik Prijandono were seen on a patrol of
the city on Sunday.

Two companies from the North Maluku battalion and one platoon
of elite Mobile Brigade police from North Sulawesi were
dispatched to Soa Siu, Maluku Police spokesman Maj. Philipus
Jackriel said on Friday.

At least 1,000 residents were evacuated to the nearby Central
Halmahera Police Headquarters, Philipus added.

Police declined to reveal the identity of the four fatalities
in an effort to avoid reprisals among the Christian and Muslim
communities.

It is believed the conflict was sparked by the distribution of
bogus flyers calling for a holy war against Muslims which were
purportedly signed by Protestant Synode Church chief Rev. Sammy
Titaley, police said.

"It turned out the flyers were fake," Philipus said.

Maluku has suffered a wave of sectarian violence since January
in which hundreds have died and thousands fled the area. The
conflict started in Ambon and later spread to other islands.

Earlier on Friday, 20-year-old Lexi Pattiasina, a resident of
Halong, some four kilometers east of Maluku's capital of Ambon,
escaped after he was abducted by a group of unidentified men
dressed in fatigues.

Lexi told the media that he was abducted on Thursday night
near his house and taken to a hut in Kebon Cengkih in Batu Merah
Atas.

"I saw two other abductees, a man and a woman. I don't know
what happened to them. I jumped out of a window when one of the
abductors tried to give me dinner on Friday night," he said.

Lexi is temporarily sheltered in Ambon Military Police
Headquarters as a potential witness while the probe continues
into his complaint.

Meanwhile on Thursday, Brig. Gen. Dewa Astika was appointed
the new Maluku Police chief, replacing Col. Bugis Saman who
served only for less than one year.

The transfer of duty ceremony was held at police headquarters.
Astika is slated to officially brief the journalists about the
situation in the troubled territory on Tuesday. (48/edt)