Four deaths and torched houses in fresh violence in West Sulawesi
Tensions between Christians and Muslims have been running high in the area for three years.
Makassar (AsiaNews/Agencies) Fresh violence claimed four lives on April 24 in newly-created West Sulawesi province. Two other people were seriously injured in the attack that also left seven homes torched.
Two of the dead were shot by unknown assailants, the other two died in the fire that razed their homes.
It is widely believed that this incident is just another chapter in the ongoing inter-communal confrontation between local Christians and Muslims.
South Sulawesi Police Saleh Saaf said yesterday that the incident occurred on Sunday night, when a group of unidentified people attacked Ranu subdistrict, Mamasa regency, about 400 kilometres from the Makassar, capital of South Sulawesi
Eyewitnesses said that although residents were taken by surprise, they fought back, forcing the attackers to flee.
Since yesterday, some 230 additional police officers have been patrolling the area.
The police have identified five people believed to be behind the attack but no clear motive has yet to be established.
For the past three years clashes have occurred in the area over a law that split Polewali Mamasa regency into two.
The new administrative division has drawn protest from the predominantly Muslim districts of Aralle, Tabulahan and Mambi, where people fear they would become a minority in the new predominantly Christian regency of Mamasa.
Muslims fear they might not be allowed to worship in mosques and experience job discrimination.
Mamasa regency is now part of West Sulawesi province, which recently split from South Sulawesi.
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