The Jakarta Post, December 03, 2001
Gunmen trigger chaos in Maluku
After weeks of tense calm, strife-torn Maluku was rocked by a series of gunfights and
shootings initiated by armed rioters, an official said Sunday.
Civil emergency spokesman Maj. Marthen Luther Djari confirmed that at least two
shooting incidents broke out on Sunday.
According to witnesses, at least two people were killed and a man was injured in the
melee, but no immediate official confirmation was available.
Late on Saturday, however, the security forces arrested two alleged rioters carrying a
five-kilogram explosive at Jl. Sultan Hairun in central Ambon, located between City
Hall and the gubernatorial office around 11:30 p.m. One of the suspects was identified
as a renegade military soldier.
"He (the soldier) is now in custody at the Pattimura military police headquarters for
further investigation. Pattimura Military chief (Brig. Gen. Mustopo) has ordered a full
probe on the case to further reveal the network of the rioters," officer Marthen said,
declining to reveal the soldier's identity.
On Sunday around 8:30 a.m. local time unidentified gunmen from Tanjung Kulur
opened fire and shot a 60-year-old fisherman named Abdul Hamid, a resident of Kulur
village.
Abdul was shot in the back while fishing on his boat in the water off the village in
Saparua island, Central Maluku regency. "Abdul has been evacuated to Ambon for
further treatment," the officer said.
The shooting apparently triggered the chaos between predominantly-Muslim Kulur
village and neighboring predominantly-Christian Porto village, Marthen added.
Tension was rising in the area but the security forces have reportedly quelled the
situation.
Reports also said that two people were killed in another incident in between Kulur and
Porto villages on Sunday, but no immediate confirmation was available.
On Sunday, another gunfight broke out between armed rioters and police's Mobile
Brigade (Brimob) on the border of Suli and Tial villages in the Ambon islands. Tial is a
predominantly Muslim village. --JP
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