Laksamana.Net, December 12, 2001 01:17 AM
More Deaths, Destruction in Ambon
Laksamana.Net - Thousands of angry locals ran amok in Ambon, Maluku province,
burning down the provincial legislative assembly building Tuesday (11/12/01) after an
explosion on a passenger boat killed at least seven people, reports said.
The parliament building was reduced to ashes within an hour of the arson attack,
Antara reported.
Fire trucks escorted by police were unable to reach the conflagration because the
mob prevented them getting through.
The locals, who also stoned the governor’s office, were protesting against the failure of
provincial government authorities to bring peace to the conflict-ridden region.
Almost three years of sectarian fighting between Christians and Muslims has left
more than 5,000 people dead.
Reports said an explosion had occurred Tuesday morning on board the KM Kalifornia
passenger vessel at Ambon’s Dalam Bay, leaving seven people dead and many
others seriously injured.
Most of the corpses were charred beyond recognition. One of the bodies was believed
to be that of a policeman or a soldier because it was lying near a charred SS-1 rifle.
The causes of the explosion had yet to be established and security officers were
refusing to talk to journalists. Initial reports said a bomb might have been thrown onto
the vessel from a passing speedboat.
Angry locals torched four trucks at Galala Port after they saw the charred remains of
the victims being taken to Lanal Halong Hospital.
It was unclear how many people had been on the ill-fated vessel.
Local legislative assembly chairman Lucky Wattimury deplored the explosion and the
subsequent attacks by the mob, saying provocateurs could be attempting to stir up
trouble ahead of and during the Idul Fitri, Christmas and New Year holiday season.
"There must be certain groups that mobilized the citizens to act out of control,
because the reaction was so fast and systematic," Wattimury was quoted as saying
by Antara.
Latest reports from Ambon said the situation remained tense and security forces were
being deployed across the city in anticipation of a possible escalation in mob
violence.
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