Three killed in communal clash in South Sulawesi

Three killed in communal clash in South Sulawesi

Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Makassar

At least three people have been killed, four seriously injured,
and more than one hundred houses burned down following a communal
clash between residents of Cappasolo and Padang villages in East
Malangke subdistrict, North Luwu regency, South Sulawesi, since
Monday.

The clash forced hundreds of residents from both villages to
move to safer locations, at Palopo, Luwu Regency and other nearby
villages.

Security forces were deployed immediately to the location to
restore order, but failed to prevent the exodus.

As of Wednesday the situation was still tense.

The three casualties were identified as Bachtiar, 62, Tira,
60, and an unidentified young girl. They were all residents of
Cappasolo village.

Witnesses said the clash, between residents of Cappasolo and
Padang, erupted at dawn on Monday when several Cappasolo
residents attacked the residents of neighboring Padang village.

The attack prompted the Padang villagers to take up weapons,
leading to the communal clash.

A witness said the attack was prompted by the prolonged
retaliation of residents from both villages.

"The cause of the clash is vengeance from long ago," the
witness told The Jakarta Post by phone from Palopo, the capital
of Luwu Regency.

The authorities immediately deployed three platoons of police
to the site of the incident.

The security forces carried out raids in and around the
location in search of homemade weapons or machetes brought by the
opposing sides. But no information was available about the
weapons that had been confiscated.

"The three platoons deployed in the location have helped calm
the tension, but Cappasolo residents keep moving toward the town
of Palopo," said North Luwu Regent Luthfi A. Mutty.

Luthfi added that the clash had forced residents in Cappasolo
and Padang villages to move to downtown Palopo and Malangke
respectively.

The frightened residents also sought places of safety in the
villages of Buloe, Pabombong, Birue, Kopi-kopi, Baebunta,
Sabbang, Bonebone, and Masamba.

He also confirmed that at least 128 houses in the two villages
had been burned down.