The Jakarta Post, May 13, 2004
Fuel shortage hits Ambon
M. Azis Tunny, Ambon
A gasoline and kerosene shortage has hit the troubled city of Ambon, Maluku
province, during the past two weeks, leading to soaring fuel prices in the still-tense
town.
The shortage came after bloody sectarian violence in the area, in which 39 people
were killed and hundreds of others were injured. The violence has made transportation
to the city more difficult.
Before the April 25 conflict the price of kerosene stood at about Rp 930 a liter. Now it
stands at Rp 1,500.
Gasoline has also surged to Rp 2,200 after the conflict, compared to only Rp 1,810
before.
Salma Pellu, a gasoline retailer on Jl. Jendral Sudirman said his distributors raised
the price of gasoline following the April conflict, which forced him to follow suit to avoid
losses.
The distributors told him they had to raise the price of gasoline due to problems with
transportation.
A fuel station on Jl. Yos Sudarso had also been hard hit because of its reduced
supply from state oil and gas company PT Pertamina's Waiyame operations in
Ambon, Salma said.
Pertamina used to regularly transport about 25,000 liters of gasoline to the station but
had only sent 10,000 liters during the past two weeks.
Many routes to the city were shut after the conflict put a spanner in the distribution,
Salma said. Pertamina was not able to dispatch tankers to various fuel stations and
distributors throughout the city for security reasons.
Abdullah Wahab, a kerosene retailer, said he was selling kerosene at Rp 1,300 a liter
because of the rising cost of sea transportation.
Despite the fuel problems, Ambon's situation has been much improved during the past
few days. No renewed clashes have been reported but the situation remains tense.
Two danger zones, Tanah Lapang Kecil and Waringin in Nusaniwe, were deserted as
of Wednesday. A large barrier placed on the main road of Jl. Sitanala to separate
Muslim and Christian areas has not yet been removed.
Police remained stationed at the Maluku Governor's office to protect it and people
stayed in their community areas along religious lines, with traditional markets still
segregated. Muslims traded in the Batumerah and Old City Markets, while Christian
traders occupied the Batumeja and Kaget Batugantong areas.
The Ambon Plaza on Jl. Sam Ratulangi has been reopened but the mall is only visited
by Muslims as it is located in a Muslim area.
People are also still choosing to use sea transportation rather than traveling by land to
avoid danger.
"I am still too afraid to pass through Christian areas, as I don't want to die," said
Husain, a pedicab driver.
The city of Ambon has been divided along religious lines since sectarian conflicts
broke out in the island in 1999.
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