The Jakarta Post, October 18, 2004
Thousand flee riot-torn village
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar
Tension was still high on Sunday in a village in Aralle district, some 400 kilometers
from the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, after two people were reported killed
and dozens of homes burned down in a communal clash over a dispute on the
formation of a new regency there.
Hundreds of residents fled North Aralle village, now officially part of the recently
established province of West Sulawesi, after it was hit by two days of renewed conflict
on Friday, officials said.
Polewali Mamasa Regent Ali Baal confirmed that some 1,000 residents had fled the
riot-torn village to neighboring Natula village, Mambi district, while hundreds of police
officers evicted the attackers and reestablished control of North Aralle.
The two killed in the incident were identified as Muis, 42, who was stabbed with a
machete and a spear, and a child who was allegedly trampled to death during the
clash, Mambi district head Ahmad Appa said.
"Based on our data, the death toll is two, namely Muis and a child, while at least 31
houses and a mosque were set ablaze," he said.
However, South Sulawesi Police chief Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf denied on Sunday
reports of casualties in the clash. "So far, no victims have been killed. Only one
person sustained stab wounds from a spear," he said in Makassar.
The dispute erupted between supporters and opponents of a 2002 law that split
Polewali Mamasa regency into two -- Mamasa and Polewali Mamasa, or Polmas.
Muslim residents from the three districts of Aralle, Tabulahan and Mambi rejected the
split because they would be included in the newly created regency of predominantly
Christian Mamasa, and feared losing out on jobs or restrictions on religious freedom.
Mamasa regency is now part of West Sulawesi province, which recently split off from
South Sulawesi. West Sulawesi has five regencies: Polewali Mandar, Mamasa,
Majene, Mamuju and North Mamuju.
Ali Baal said the two-day clash flared up when residents, mostly Christians in support
of the new province, attacked their Muslim opponents in North Aralle and occupied the
village.
The clash was triggered when Andi Jalilu strung up banners reading "ATM (Aralle,
Tabulahan and Mambi) is part of Mamasa regency", in five areas of the village where
residents mostly opposed to the split lived.
The banners were immediately taken down by the residents, who also expelled Jalilu
from North Aralle.
Jalilu later returned along with hundreds of supporters and launched an attack on
Friday afternoon. North Aralle villagers fled for safety, as they were unable to repel the
attackers.
Saaf said the conflict was provoked initially when Aralle district head Wahab, who
backed the split, was beaten on Sept. 23 by a man from the rival camp.
The South Sulawesi police chief said North Aralle was being guarded by 265
policemen to prevent further fighting, while others were hunting down Jalilu and his 11
accomplices for provoking and perpetrating the clash.
Another suspect, who allegedly financed the assault, has been identified, Saaf added.
The conflict was the third to hit North Aralle after Law No. 11/2002 was enacted to
establish Mamasa regency. In September 2003, three people were killed and dozens
of houses razed in a similar clash. The second violence erupted in July this year, but
no casualties were reported.
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno was inaugurating West Sulawesi province on
Saturday as the country's 33rd province at its capital, Mamuju, when the latest unrest
broke out.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Hari asked acting West Sulawesi Governor
Oentarto Sindung Moewardi to resolve the prolonged conflict in the three districts.
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