Waai refugees reunited after 2-day trek, 11 reported dead

AMBON, Maluku (JP): Many refugees from ravaged Waai village broke down crying as they were reunited with their relatives in Suli village, Waitatiri subdistrict in Central Maluku regency on Friday, after a two-day trek to flee the fury which devastated their village.

Another 11 people reportedly died en route to Suli village as the refugees had to walk for 50-kilometers through mountainous terrain to avoid what they regarded as hostile villages believed to be the base of the attackers.

Among the fatalities was six-year-old Angel Richard Parinusa, who died of starvation and exposure to the cold. His body was buried later in the day near a crisis post in Suli.

The new fatalities bring the death toll since Tuesday's attack on Waai village to 36.

Maluku Police chief Brig. Gen. Firman Gani who witnessed the evacuation process said on Friday that some died of severe cold while some from wounds suffered during previous attacks in Waai.

He admitted that "refugees were also being chased away by the armed rioters from Tulehu".

Around 1,000 refugees were expected to reach shelters in neighboring Suli and Paso villages, about 44 kilometers south of Ambon on Friday.

Witnesses said that it normally takes at least 10 hours of continuous walking for a healthy man to reach Suli from Waai.

Firman Gani also said he was looking into reports that four Waai women were being held hostage in Kampung Hurnala in Tulehu village.

"They said they know nothing about the women. But we'll keep on searching," he said.

Back in Ambon, civil emergency executor Governor Saleh Latuconsina revealed on Friday that around 300 members of the Laskar Jihad had been transported back to Java on board of the KM Lambelu last week.

Meanwhile in Jakarta, State Minister of Human Rights Affairs Hasballah M. Saad said on Friday that the government should first evaluate the state of civil emergency imposed in Maluku before consideration of any "international cooperation" to solve the sectarian conflict.

"It's not fair to rush into replacing the measure before evaluating it," he said.

Hasballah said he personally agreed with the idea of international cooperation if it is considered effective in solving the problems in the provinces.

"But there should be limits to it. It should be under the flag of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) solidarity. It also should not be a military-like cooperation, but more to serve peace talks between the warring parties," he argued.

The National Commission on Human Rights earlier this week proposed the option of international cooperation as the government seems incapable of resolving the crisis.(bby/49/edt)