Warring tribes in Timika agree to end violence

JAKARTA (JP): The death toll in the tribal clashes in Irian Jaya has risen to four, but conflicting parties agreed to end the violence Sunday in a traditional "tying up the arrows" ceremony.

The body of Wenda, a Dani tribesman, was found stabbed with an arrow Sunday afternoon. He died in the latest outburst of violence in the mining town of Timika that afternoon, according to Tom Beanal.

Beanal is the leader of the Amungme Community Institute, an organization which has been actively seeking a peaceful settlement to the dispute between the Dani and Amungme tribes.

The other victims were Ben Waker, also a Dani, and Neeles Amisin and Agawaal of the Amungme. Waker died last Thursday, while the other two were killed Friday.

Beanal told The Jakarta Post that the tying up the arrows ceremony, which signified both sides' willingness to end the violence, was only the first step to end the feuding.

The involved parties will still have to perform another ritual, but Beanal said the tribesmen have yet to sit down and discuss when the ceremony will take place. He also said the second ceremony resembled the "tying up the arrows" but would be more binding on both parties.

Beanal said that unless the second ceremony was carried out there was a possibility violence might flare up again.

"We are seeking the right time and place to hold the ceremony. I hope we can hold it as soon as possible, because we don't want any more casualties," Beanal said.

He credited the agreement to endless efforts from the institute and other parties. "It's lucky that both tribes agreed there should be no more war after the first two deaths."

He said, however, that the clashes, which were sparked by a drunkard who harassed and demanded money from a village head, involved members of tribes other than just the Amungme and the Dani.

A Dani tribesman was then killed by an Amungme armed with a bow and arrows. There was no explanation as to who killed the man but the Danis then pledged to exact revenge and kill all of the Amungme.

Observers have claimed that the tribal conflicts would not have erupted if some of the outstanding problems concerning the distribution of the one percent trust fund from America's mining company PT Freeport Indonesia to the tribes had been settled.

"It's a complicated situation, but the clashes were not a war, because there was more than one tribe in each group," he said.

Beanal's institute and the local church, represented by Father Nato, had tried but failed to reach a solution after three deaths on Saturday.

The regional military commander Maj. Gen. Joni Lumintang acknowledged Saturday, as reported by Antara, that there were sufficient military personnel in the area to handle the violence. (12)