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

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)