Two killed over regency division
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi
Suspected supporters of the split of Polewali Mamasa (Polmas) into two regencies -- Polewali and Mamasa -- in South Sulawesi province attacked and killed two rivals opposed to the division.
Another person is reportedly missing in the same incident.
Police said on Tuesday that Hamdi, 40, and Nurdin, 35 -- both residents from Salurinduk village in Aralle subdistrict, 380 kilometers from the provincial capital Makassar -- were found dead on Monday.
The two farmers were allegedly killed by supporters of the split, apparently in retaliation for a recent attack by their opponents from the neighboring subdistricts of Aralle, Mambi and Tabulahan.
People from the three subdistricts have refused to be incorporated in the newly created regency of Mamasa.
"We suspect the perpetrators are those in support of the creation of Mamasa regency," Deputy Polmas Police chief Adj. Comr. Samad Saleh told The Jakarta Post.
"From testimonies of witnesses, we have identified four people as suspects and have launched a manhunt," he added.
Muhammad Zakir Akbar, secretary-general of the Communication Forum for Pitu Ulunna Salu people, who opposed the split of the regency, said the deceased were stabbed to death.
Mardi, 32 -- who was with the victims during the incident -- is still missing, Zakir said.
He said the victims were traveling to their farmland in Barabba. But when they arrived in an area belonging to pro-Mamasa supporters, they were attacked.
"Local residents and police officers are searching for Mardi," Zakir said.
Samad said that two platoons of police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officers from Polmas and South Sulawesi were deployed to the area to prevent further attacks.
They were also combing those areas to find the murderers, he said.
The security deployment was led by Polmas Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Muhammad Wahyu Hidayat.
However, Samad said he could not say what the latest security situation was at the scene after the incident, citing a lack of communication facilities in the villages, located around 100 kilometers from downtown Polmas.
Those opposed to the division had staged several protests at the Polmas and Central Sulawesi legislative councils to convey their grievances.
On Sept. 15, they overnighted at the South Sulawesi governor's office during a protest.
The creation of Memasa regency followed the implementation of Law No. 11/2002 that recommends the inclusion of Aralle, Mambi and Tabulahan as part of the new regency.
The opponents from the three subdistricts say they refused to join Memasa for geographic and historical reasons and due to ethnic and religious differences.
They fear the split could spark conflict among locals.
The South Sulawesi administration has questioned the Ministry of Home Affairs' decision to include the three subdistricts in Memasa regency, as it never consulted with the people prior to making the decision.