The violence on Seram island in central Maluku erupted early Friday allegedly when Mulsims from the village of Buano Utara attacked the predominantly-Christian village of Alang Asaudi, provincial police spokesman Major Philip Jekriel told AFP by phone.

Security forces had moved to contain the violence, Jekriel said from the provincial capital of Ambon, declining to give further details. But the Media Indonesia daily said security personnel had been late in dealing with the violence, hence the high number of casualties.

Some of the victims were being treated for injuries at the Muslim Al-Fatah hospital in Ambon, a member of the Al-Fatah mosque said.

Seram, which lies next to Ambon and is one of the main islands in the Maluku chain, could not be reached by telephone early Sunday for further details.

The Maluku archipelago, also known as the Spice Islands, has been torn by Muslim-Christian clashes since the beginning of the year. The worst riots occurred in January-March and claimed hundreds of lives.

At least 40 people were killed in the bloodiest battles recently between the two religious communities in the provincial capital of Ambon on November 26 and 27.

On Thursday Indonesian Muslim leaders called for a halt to the sectarian violence for the religious festivals of Ramadan and Christmas.

"As religious followers, we are prohibited to spoil and pollute the sacred days we believe in," chairman of the Indonesian Mosques Council Kafrawi Ridwan said, quoted by the official Antara news agency.

The holy month of fasting is expected to begin here in this the world's largest Muslim-populated nation on Thursday, December 9.

"Let's again create peace and uphold unity by intensifying dialogue and cooperation for the sake of common prosperity," Ridwan said.

Meanwhile, national police chief General Rusmanhadi was quoted by Antara as saying Saturday the police would set up a team of 90 Maluku youths in Jakarta to help end the long-running violence in Maluku.

The Maluku Peace Task Force, as it will be known, will seek to draw up a joint declaration by village chiefs and the warring communities to end their enmity and establish lasting peace and religious harmony, he said.

"Hopefully, during the period of truce, other things may be worked out," he said.

Nearly 700 people have been killed in sectarian violence in the province this year, which was ignited by a small dispute between a migrant Muslim and a Christian and has since spiraled out of control.

Some 1,600 people have also been injured while tens of thousands of people have fled to other provinces.

The military has denied there are plans to impose martial law on the islands soon, but three battalions have been sent to the islands to reinforce security there.

Christian Missionaries Poised to Convert Half a Million Muslims in Africa
Landmines Looming Threat To Islamic Countries
Hindu-Muslim Riots Feared in India
Islamic Political Prisoners In Turkey Demonstrate
Uzbeks Vote, Dictatorship Fears Islamists
Indonesia Moving Toward More Relations With Israel
Deadbeat Arab League Countries Asked To Pay Up


Top News