LAKSAMANA.Net, May 6, 2004 11:25 PM
Two More Killed in Maluku
Laksamana.Net - Unidentified gunmen traveling in a speedboat have shot dead two
Christians and wounded three others in a dawn attack on Buru island, Maluku
province, reports said Thursday (6/5/04).
Provincial police spokesman Hendro Prasetyo was quoted by Agence France-Presse
as saying an 11-month-old baby and a 38-year-old man were killed in the attack at
about 6am Wednesday.
He said the man was shot six times in the chest when the eight attackers opened fire
from their speedboat about 200-300 meters offshore.
In addition to the casualties and the three wounded people, another person had gone
missing, he added.
Violence erupted in the provincial capital Ambon on April 25 after a clash between
Christian separatists and Muslim nationalists. Since then fighting and sniper attacks
have left at least 38 people dead in Ambon city.
Wednesday's attack was the first deadly incident outside Ambon since the unrest
started last month.
Prasetyo said the victims had been going about their usual business in Wamkana
village when the attackers struck.
The violence has sparked fears of a return to bloody religious clashes that left about
6,000 people dead in the Maluku islands between 1999-2002. The United Nations has
evacuated its staff from Ambon following the latest unrest.
The incident that started the renewed violence was a march staged by mostly
Christian separatists from the Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM) a parade to celebrate
the 54th anniversary of the outlawed South Maluku Republic (RMS). Nationalist
Muslims hurled stones and verbal abuse at the separatists, sparking deadly clashes
between the two communities. Hundreds of buildings were later torched and there
have been numerous bombings.
The rapid escalation of the carnage and the presence of unidentified snipers prompted
speculation the mayhem was being fanned by outsiders. Some observers have even
claimed the unrest could be linked to a power struggle between rival contestants in
the upcoming presidential election.
Elements of the military and police took sides in the 1999-2002 riots in the Malukus
and were accused of fueling the violence to further their political and financial
interests.
This time around, the military has adamantly denied any involvement in the violence.
Men Arrested for Possession of Bombs
Maluku Police spokesman Senior Commissioner Usman Nasution said two men have
been caught red-handed in possession of three homemade bombs.
He said the men, identified as Ruslan and Abai, were arrested separately early
Thursday in the areas of Waringin and Talake in Ambon city's Nusaniwe subdistrict.
"Ruslan and Abai are in police custody for further questioning," he was quoted as
saying by state news agency Antara.
Waringin and Talake bore the brunt of the violence over the past 10 days.
RMS Suspects Sent to Jakarta
Police on Thursday transferred 11 suspected RMS supporters from Ambon to Jakarta
for further questioning at National Police headquarters.
Among the detainees are FKM secretary general Mozes Tuanakotta, and Molly and
Christin Manuputty, the wife and daughter respectively of FKM leader Alexander
Manuputty, who fled to the US earlier this year.
The other suspects were identified as Domingus Patiha, Ongeng Kusmani, Ramon
Tuapaninaya, Haris Abner Sahertian, Johan Taehuhu, Johan Markus, Michael
Latusinai and Frans Sineasa.
They arrived at Jakarta's Sukarno-Hatta Airport at about 7pm and were then driven to
National Police headquarters, where they will be questioned by a joint team of police
investigators from Maluku and Jakarta.
Police have said they were sent to the national capital for security reasons and could
be charged with treason.
Also on Thursday, the House of Representatives' Commission II on home and legal
affairs said the RMS was to blame for the Maluku violence and must be stamped out
because it is an illegal organization.
"In a recent joint meeting, Commission II and Commission I dealing with security and
information affairs declared that RMS is a banned organization which must be
eradicated based on the prevailing laws in the country," Commission II chairman
Teras Narang was quoted as saying by Antara.
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