Victims of Deadly Clash in Adonara Buried
Two of the three fatalities from a bloody clash in East Adonara District, East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), were buried on Saturday (18/7). The two victims laid to rest were Nayamudin Iskandar (21), a resident of Waiburak Village, and Petrus Kopong Epit, a resident of Narasaosina Village. Both were killed during the violent confrontation on Saturday morning.
East Flores Deputy Police Chief, Kompol Ketut Mastina, confirmed the burials when contacted by CNN Indonesia on Saturday evening. "Two of the deceased victims have been buried by their families today," he said. He explained that the body of the third victim, identified as Hope (60), a resident of Narasaosina Village, whose evacuation was initially obstructed, has now been handed over to the family. "The other victim was handed over to the family by the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), accompanied by police and military personnel," Ketut stated. The family plans to bury the victim on Sunday (19/7).
The body of Hope had been obstructed during an attempted evacuation by medical staff and police officers, blocked by a crowd of hundreds. The body was lying in the middle of a road in Waiburak Village, drawing public attention. The victim, believed to have died from machete wounds sustained during the clash, was only evacuated to the East Adonara Primary Hospital after Forkopimda and police officers approached and negotiated with local community leaders. Following the evacuation, the body was taken directly to the Adonara Primary Hospital before being released to the family.
He stated that the security situation at the clash site is now conducive. However, to anticipate any follow-up clashes, hundreds of military and police personnel remain on standby in the area. Three security posts are currently manned by joint TNI/Polri personnel, located at the Convent Post, the Bele Hamlet Post in Waiburak Village, and the Narasaosina Village Post.
The deadly clash, which erupted on Saturday morning around 6:30 a.m. local time, claimed three lives, saw 20 houses torched by the mob, and left seven people injured. Of the seven injured, two were referred to the Larantuka Regional General Hospital and two others were evacuated to Lewoleba in Lembata Regency. Police are still investigating the cause of the bloody confrontation between the two youth groups from Narasaosina Village and Waiburak Village.