T

he killing of five people in a fresh clash in Ambon has prompted security authorities to send three companies of the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) as reinforcements and launch a raid in an effort to contain the conflict.

A company of Brimob was sent to Negeri Pelauw in Haruku district, where the clash flared up early on Saturday. Two other companies followed later.

The incident raised fears of a repeat of the widespread communal clashes that claimed thousands of lives between 1999 and 2002.

However, the incident in Central Maluku regency took place among members of the Salampessy clan.

“The security situation is under control at the moment and the conflict has been contained. This Saturday afternoon, another two companies of Brimob will be sent to the conflict location,” Adj. Sn. Comr. J. Huwae, the Maluku Police spokesperson, said in Ambon as quoted by Antara.

The clash flared on Saturday morning, leaving five people dead, a dozen injured and 300 homes burned.

Huwae said they had yet to identify the dead victims. Material losses had not yet been estimated, he said.

“The Salampessy clan at Negeri Pelau is divided into two, called Salampessy Muka [Front] and Salempessy Belakang [Rear],” he said.

Community members from both factions were reported to be gathering to decide on the inauguration date of the “Salampessy Traditional House”. Each of them seemed to be insistent on their own choice of date. The clash broke out when they failed to reach an agreement.

Using weapons such as spears, machetes, bows and arrows as well as explosives, the two clan factions began fighting. Three from Salampessy Muka and two from Salampessy Belakang were killed.

Maluku Police Chief Syarief Gunawan said that the police would step up street scrutiny as part of heightened security measures in the wake of the conflict, which coincides with the run up to a provincial election in April.

“The raids will be focused not only on Negeri Porti and Haria, Saparua district, but also on Negeri Pelauw, Haruku district. These are the scenes of local clashes that happened several days ago and recurred again today causing casualties and property damage,” Syarief said.

Syarief said they had mapped conflict-prone areas in several districts in Central Maluku regency, like Pelauw, Portho-Haria and Elpaputih where people from the regency and those from Eastern Seram regency disputed land borders.

“We mapped out those fractious areas during a hearing at the legislative council office on Thursday evening,” he said.

One death was reported following a conflict between people from Portho and Haria villages on Thursday and Friday.

Local police said that the conflict was a spillover from an incident back in August last year in which three people were injured.

The conflict prompted the police to deploy more personnel backed by armored vehicles.

Security has become a concern with Ambon hosting National MTQ, a Koran recital contest, in June.

Maluku was rocked by sectarian conflicts between 1999 and 2002, leaving some 6,000 people dead and thousands forced to flee.