05/10/2004, 00.00
INDONESIA
Send to a friend

The army's involvement in Christian-Muslim clashes in Moluccas

Clash victims die of wounds caused by gun and rifles fired by Indonesian soldiers.

Ambon (AsiaNews) – Mysterious sniper fire has riddled victims with precisely aimed bullets as Christians and Muslim violence has once again erupted across the island. The victims were killed with rifles fired by expert army and police firing units, said the Amboina Diocese Crisis Center while quoting Indonesia's English-language daily, The Jakarta Post. 

The Peace Building Institute, an NGO, pointed out that the snipers fired Styer SSG-69 rifles, just like those used by the Indonesian riflery unit (TNI) and the national police. According to Ichsan Malik, the Institute's director and political science professor at the University of Indonesia, this type of arm is capable of strking targets with great accuracy 1 km away. Malik said it was a weapon commonly used by military and police personnel and believes that snipers were specialists, citing the fact they could hit victims in the heart and between the eyes with remarkable precision.

Abubakar Riry, an activist,  said such arms are similar to those used in 2000 by an anti-sniper squad led by former Pattimura army commander, General Max Tamaela.  "It is still not clear what happened to this unit after  Tamaela was replaced by a new commander,"  Riry said.

As various analysts have already mentioned, the theory about TNO's involvement in the religious conflict now gains more weight. The Indonesian army's influence is also being speculated by the Christian camp. Last week General Bambang Sutrisno, commander of the provincial police force, was accused of  supporting the South Moluccas Republic (SMR) independence moment. 

Sutrisno was replaced by General Adita Barman, after being blamed, among other things, for having dealt with the Apr. 25 clashes too lightly, which broke out during a SMR rally.

Various leaders of the Moluccas Sovereignty Front (MSF), who seek independence from Indonesia, have been arrested and sent to Jakarta for questioning. Among them were a government worker and a Protestant pastor.

Meanwhile South Moluccas Islands residents have turned in some one hundred of rifles, 1327 bullets and 9 grenades to police forces. According to local army commander, Colonel Edy Widagdo, there are still many weapons in civilian possession.   
TAGs
Send to a friend
Printable version
CLOSE X
See also
Catholic music to promote dialogue in Ambon, the city of sectarian violence
17/10/2018 13:29
John Paul II writes to tortured Christians in Ambon
03/05/2004
More sniper victims, police say they do not know who the snipers are
06/05/2004
Ambon: Bishop asks authorities to respect religious coexistence
14/09/2022 12:25
Violence stops but fears remains
16/07/2004


Newsletter

Subscribe to Asia News updates or change your preferences

Subscribe now
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”