Two killed over regency division

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.