Three killed, 35 houses burned in Maluku brawl
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Ambon
At least three people were killed, 12 others injured and 35 houses set ablaze in a brawl between two Christian villages on Saparua island, Central Maluku, police said on Thursday.
The clash broke out on Wednesday night between residents of Porto and Haria villages. The violence had apparently nothing to do with the sectarian fighting that has claimed some 6,000 lives over the last three years in the Maluku islands.
According to Maluku's Control and Operations Command Center (Puskodalops), the brawl was suspected to have been motivated by bad blood between the two villages following a feud on Mar. 30 that arose after a rowing competition to mark Easter.
The province's police deployed two platoons made up of a total of 200 Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel to bring the situation under control.
Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Soenarko came to the scene on Thursday to help calm the feuding residents.
Two residents from Haria -- Herman Leuwol and Edwin Waeleuru -- died from gunshot wounds to the chest, while a resident of Porto, Yopi Talakua, was also killed during the gunfight.
In Jakarta, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said the feuding villagers from the Christian community had employed illegal firearms and explosives.
Separately on Thursday, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the Maluku civil emergency authorities would intensify the search for offensive weapons and would resort to force if local people refused to surrender their weapons before the May deadline.
"Although the Saparua incident was not a sectarian one, if we don't take immediate action it could complicate the situation in Maluku," he said.
Susilo said the government was determined to see the peace deal signed by local Muslim and Christian leaders to end three years of fighting in Maluku succeed.
The authorities would take harsh action against anyone found inciting more violence aimed at overturning the peace accord, which was signed on Feb. 12, he added.
"As long as the Maluku people keep holding their weapons and continue to protect provocateurs, long-lasting peace in the islands will still be a long way off," Susilo said.
Last week, at least seven people were killed and 50 others injured in a powerful bomb blast that rocked Ambon. The bombing sparked the burning down of the Maluku governor's office by an angry mob.
The police are currently hunting Ibdi Amin Thabrani Pattimura and Zafruddin, both suspected of lobbing the bomb at the Amboina Hotel on Apr. 3.
Commenting on reports that the separatist South Maluku Republic (RMS) movement would declare independence in the troubled province by hoisting their flag on Apr. 25, Susilo and Da'i said that security officials would take stern action against them.
"Should they carry out this plan, we will certainly take all necessary action permitted by the law to stop such separatist activities," Da'i said.