AsiaNews [Italy], 10 May, 2004
INDONESIA
The army's involvement in Christian-Muslim clashes in Moluccas
Clash victims die of wounds caused by gun and rifles fired by Indonesian soldiers.
Ambon (AsiaNews) - Mysterious sniper fire has riddled victims with precisely aimed
bullets as Christians and Muslim violence has once again erupted across the island.
The victims were killed with rifles fired by expert army and police firing units, said the
Amboina Diocese Crisis Center while quoting Indonesia's English-language daily, The
Jakarta Post.
The Peace Building Institute, an NGO, pointed out that the snipers fired Styer SSG-69
rifles, just like those used by the Indonesian riflery unit (TNI) and the national police.
According to Ichsan Malik, the Institute's director and political science professor at
the University of Indonesia, this type of arm is capable of strking targets with great
accuracy 1 km away. Malik said it was a weapon commonly used by military and
police personnel and believes that snipers were specialists, citing the fact they could
hit victims in the heart and between the eyes with remarkable precision.
Abubakar Riry, an activist, said such arms are similar to those used in 2000 by an
anti-sniper squad led by former Pattimura army commander, General Max Tamaela.
"It is still not clear what happened to this unit after Tamaela was replaced by a new
commander," Riry said.
As various analysts have already mentioned, the theory about TNO's involvement in
the religious conflict now gains more weight. The Indonesian army's influence is also
being speculated by the Christian camp. Last week General Bambang Sutrisno,
commander of the provincial police force, was accused of supporting the South
Moluccas Republic (SMR) independence moment.
Sutrisno was replaced by General Adita Barman, after being blamed, among other
things, for having dealt with the Apr. 25 clashes too lightly, which broke out during a
SMR rally.
Various leaders of the Moluccas Sovereignty Front (MSF), who seek independence
from Indonesia, have been arrested and sent to Jakarta for questioning. Among them
were a government worker and a Protestant pastor.
Meanwhile South Moluccas Islands residents have turned in some one hundred of
rifles, 1327 bullets and 9 grenades to police forces. According to local army
commander, Colonel Edy Widagdo, there are still many weapons in civilian
possession.
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