Terrified residents flee Maluku capital of Ambon
AMBON, Maluku (JP): Thousands of terrified residents fled the Maluku capital of Ambon on Wednesday following days of rioting that has left many houses and buildings leveled to the ground.
Many of the people, mostly from ravaged villages of Poka and Rumahtiga, used boats. Some of them were seen swimming across the water to the nearby village of Galala, a witness said.
"The people burned their own cars or threw them into the sea to avoid their vehicles being seized by the rioters," a local resident, Marissa, said. She added the refugees braved bullets fired at them en route to the shore.
She said she had been separated from her relatives who joined the mass exodus by swimming.
"We only have the clothes we are wearing," she said.
Many escapees headed to Latehi and Paso villages, while their belongings were scattered from Galala to Paso.
Halong Naval Base, located six kilometers from here, is no longer available to harbor refugees as around 5,000 people already had packed the compound since the riots resurfaced in May.
Meanwhile, armed looters sifted through wreckage of the state Pattimura University campus and neighboring three villages which were set on fire on Tuesday.
Witnesses said security troops did nothing to stop the rioters who came in trucks at around 10 a.m. local time.
"Rioters took away the remaining things such as computers, sound systems and furniture. They took everything, loaded it onto the trucks and eventually burned the place down," a local journalist told The Jakarta Post.
The trucks were seen going back and forth from Jasirah Leihitu -- the base of the attackers -- to the ravaged campus and villages of Poka, Rumahtiga and Wailela.
The number of casualties in the attack remained unknown. So far, Halong Navy Hospital has confirmed that at least one man was killed and 12 others injured on Tuesday.
Financial losses resulting from the arson are estimated to exceed Rp 10 billion.
Later on Wednesday night, Maluku Governor Saleh Latuconsina expressed his deep regret over the security personnel's inability to handle the situation properly.
"I keep wondering why this (violence) happens during the civil emergency status. In this period the troops must have been able to take stern action as suggested by the law," he said.
"The military commander has the authority to do so. I urge the Pattimura Military chief not to fail again or to let this incident reoccur. I have ordered the troops to be restationed at prone conflict areas and be ready to anticipate the rioters' moves."
Separately, chief of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah said in Bandung on Wednesday that he plans to pull the West Java Majalengka 303rd battalion, which has been described as "partial" in its handling of the riots, out of Maluku.
"We still have four battalions in Maluku and we have no plan for further reinforcements," Agus said in a ceremony in Bandung.
Also present at the ceremony was former Pattimura military commander Brig. Gen. Max Tamaela, who is now the chief of the army's territorial center. "I know that some troops are not neutral. It's optimistic to think that the Maluku conflict could be settled in a few months from now," he said.
In Yogyakarta, chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross Mar'ie Muhammad called on political elites to stop the conflicts that have led to rioting and suffering of the Maluku people. (49/25/44/edt)