LAKSAMANA.Net, April 25, 2004 11:39 PM
Review - Regions: 10 Dead in Ambon Clash
Laksamana.Net - Muslim and Christian gangs clashed in Ambon Sunday, leaving at
least 10 dead as separatists turned out for the 54th anniversary of the declaration of
the Republic of South Maluku (RMS).
The Associated Press quoted witnesses and officials as stating that two youths were
hacked to death by men wielding machetes. More than 50 people were injured,
hospital officials said.
At least three buildings were set ablaze, including an office housing UN agencies.
The clashes began after around a dozen members of the RMS separatist movement
paraded through the city. Gangs of Muslim and Christian youths hurled rocks at each
other, and gunfire was heard throughout the afternoon.
Witnesses said police and army were firing to disperse the rioters. There were also
reports of unidentified gunmen firing from tall buildings in the city.
The Crisis Center Diocese of Ambon reported that 51 RMS flags had been pulled
down by police.
Activists from the related Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM) had earlier vowed to defy a
government ban by hoisting separatist flags in Ambon. FKM secretary general Moses
Tuwanakotta said the group would go ahead with the flag-raising ceremony.
"The military and police have threatened to shut down our commemoration activities,
but (the flag) must fly," Tuwanakotta said.
Pattimura Military commander Brig. Gen. Ginting Munthe said he had been ordered to
deal sternly with any separatist activities on the day.
Separatist leader Alex Manuputty and his deputy Sammy Waileruni were sentenced
to three years in prison in January last year for subversion. An appeal court in May
increased their terms to four years.
They were released pending an appeal to the Supreme Court and Manuputty fled to
the United States.
Aceh Reinforcements
East Java's Brawijaya regional military command is to send its 3rd Cavalry Battalion
and 521st Infantry Battalion to Aceh from the middle of May.
The battalions will replace a cavalry battalion from Palembang, the South Sumatra
provincial capital, and another from Blitar district in East Java, which have been in
Aceh for the past year, the command's spokesman, Lt. Col. Chrisetyono TS, said on
Monday (19/4/04).
The government plans to re-evaluate whether it is necessary to maintain martial law in
Aceh, Hari Sabarno, acting Coordinating Minister for Security and Political Affairs,
said Monday.
"We will listen to reports from the province and discuss the latest situation with the
martial law authorities," Sabarno was quoted as saying. The evaluation is to be
conducted within the next one to two weeks.
Meanwhile three Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels and two civilians were killed in
two incidents in Pidie and South Aceh districts on Monday (19/4/04), said provincial
military spokesman Asep Sapari.
Troops seized two rifles, a grenade launcher, a handgun and hundreds of rounds of
ammunition, Sapari said.
There were also clashes in three separate locations in East Aceh and one in Pidie but
no casualties were reported.
KPK to Grill Governor
The newly formed Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said Tuesday (20/4/04) it
wants to question Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh for his alleged role in several graft
cases
"We are here to find out what is hampering the local law enforcers. The evidence
appears to be more than sufficient," head of the national anticorruption body
Taufieqqurrahman Ruki told the press after a meeting with martial law leaders,
ulemas, community figures and non-governmental organization activists at the military
headquarters in Banda Aceh.
Taufieqqurrahman said the KPK would arrange to question Puteh if the martial law
authorities were unable to summon him.
Reports say the martial law administration was seeking permission from President
Megawati Sukarnoputri to grill Puteh, but that she had not responded.
Taufieqqurrahman said his commission would push Megawati to grant permission to
the Aceh authorities or that the KPK would directly summon and question the
governor.
During Tuesday's meeting, the participants demanded that the martial law
administration immediately begin a corruption probe.
Reports say the Aceh Prosecutor's Office is investigating Puteh's alleged roles in
three corruption cases including the purchase of a Russian-made MI-2 helicopter.
"The Aceh administration has allegedly marked up the helicopter's price from Rp6.1
billion to Rp12.6 billion," the report said.
It also stated that the governor allegedly bribed 53 Aceh councilors with Rp75 million
each to endorse the purchase of the chopper.
Illegal Arms Arrest in Poso
Police tracking down gunmen blamed for renewed attacks in Poso regency arrested
Yapray Mbaloto, 45, a farmer with illegal firearms and bullets in his possession on
Tuesday (20/4/04). Two guns and several bullets were seized
The suspect, from Pawaru village, Lembo sub district, Morowali regency -formerly a
part of Poso - was caught when police raided his house following a tip-off from local
residents.
The arrest came as Morowali police and military conducted a joint door-to-door search
for arms and gunmen to prevent more attacks in Poso.
Yapray told police that he obtained the two pistols and ammunition from a Poso
resident and used them only for self-defense against possible attacks on his village.
Morowali Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Henny Sulistya said the suspect would be
charged with Article 1 of Emergency Law No. 12/1951 on illegal possession of arms.
In October 2003, gunmen attacked a predominantly Christian village in Lembo.
Hundreds of homes were razed to the ground and three people died.
Police shot dead the alleged mastermind of the violence, Madong, at his hideout in a
jungle near the village.
Nine of his accomplices were arrested, several with gunshot wounds. They are
currently on trial at the Palu District Court.
On Monday, the joint force began checking the identity cards of local residents.
Those who failed to produce an ID were taken into police custody for questioning
before being sent back to their villages of origin.
Landslide Toll Mounts
A rain-triggered landslide smashed into a bus in North Sumatra, killing at least 37
passengers and leaving six others buried under tons of mud, officials said Saturday
(24/4/04).
The death toll added to at least another 12 who died in a landslide Wednesday
(21/4/04) at Kidang Pananjung village on the slopes of Mount Gedugan in Cililin, some
60 kilometers west of Bandung.
In North Sumatra, scores of rescue workers were digging with shovels and hoes to try
and unearth survivors from the bus, which was almost entirely covered by the
landslide, said police.
The bus was hit late Friday as it traveled from Medan near the town of Pasaman
during a heavy rainstorm. Rescuers had recovered 37 bodies from the scene, and six
other people were still buried, with another 14 injured.
In West Java, authorities were preparing to find new sites for homes for 300 families at
risk from a repeat of Wednesday’s slide. Rescue attempts were slowed because the
difficult terrain made vehicular access difficult, a local official said.
Deforestation and cloud seeding were blamed. On Friday Surono, a senior official of
the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Directorate (DVMBG), said a
cloud seeding project created by the central government caused the landslide in the
Gedugan area, which lacked trees to sustain soil.
Rain from the cloud seeding should have fallen in the Cianjur regency in West Java,
adding to the Cimanuk and Citarum rivers, which supply water to three dams in
Saguling, Cirata and Jatiluhur, he said.
"Gedugan is deforested and is not safe to live and this -- together with the cloud
seeding -- triggered the landslide," Surono said.
Two Shot Dead in Papua
Police shot dead two robbers armed with bows and arrows as they tried to make off
with thousands of dollars in compensation payments to local tribesmen in eastern
Papua.
Police are investigating whether the attack, in western Manokwari, was a robbery or
whether there was another motive.
The two victims were alleged to be members of the rebel Free Papua Movement
(OPM), and police identified them as Bernard Furima and Matius Nasira.
The incident occurred Tuesday (20/4/04) morning when 12 police officers were
escorting several employees of timber company PT Djajanti, who were about to hand
over Rp150 million ($18,750) in land compensation to local residents.
On their way to the village, they were ambushed by a group of nine Papuans with
traditional weapons, such as machetes and spears. The police then shot at them,
forcing the gang to flee into the nearby forest.
The police and the PT Djajanti employees continued their journey, but stopped at
Furuata village, in order to seek information on the attackers.
A group of 30 people, similarly armed with traditional weaponry, appeared and
approached the police officers.
Police fired warning shots to disperse them. The armed men then panicked and began
to attack the officers.
The police then began shooting at them, and killed two. The rest of the group then fled
the area.
The Furuata village head speculated that the attackers might be OPM rebels under
the command of Manase Furima.
Quake Jolts Kupang
A powerful earthquake shook eastern parts of Indonesia on Friday (23/4/04) morning
for around 20 minutes, but no casualties or injuries were reported. The quake, which
struck at around 9:50 a.m., forced many government offices in provincial capital
Kupang to send staff home.
The quake, measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale, damaged dozens of buildings,
including the East Nusa Tenggara governor’s office.
Windows and other parts of the three-story office building were broken, in which large
cracks appeared after the quake. Some houses were also damaged. Many residents
fled their homes in panic.
The quake also briefly halted a plenary session of the local General Elections
Commission (KPU), which was discussing the progress of the vote count.
The quake affected most parts of the Timor, Alor, Sumba and Flores islands.
However, there were no official reports of damage from outlying areas.
Kupang's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency Office (BMG) director Hendri Subakti
said the epicenter was located some 62 kilometers under the Sawu Sea, about 130
kilometers west of Kupang.
Strong tremors were felt in the regencies of Sikka, Kupang, North Central Timor, East
Sumba, Rote Ndao, Alor and Sabu Island, Subakti added.
The tremor was felt as far away as the northern Australian city of Darwin, more than
900 kilometers from the epicenter.
Riau Whirlwind
A whirlwind hit Kampung Dapur village near Batam on Friday (23/4/04), damaging
dozens of houses and leaving 50 families homeless.
Village head Oslen Simanjuntak said the whirlwind suddenly blew into the
neighborhood after local residents had performed the weekly Friday prayer at a nearby
mosque.
It then hit dozens of houses in the area. No fatalities were reported in the incident.
Residents who lost their houses took refuge at places of worship after the incident.
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