SOLDIERS, POLICE SECURING MASOHI AFTER COMMUNAL CLASH

Jakarta, Dec 9 (ANTARA) - Hundreds of soldiers and policemen continued safeguarding Masohi, capital of Central Maluku district, Tuesday evening following a clash between different groups that left six people wounded and tens of houses damaged.

The head of public relations division of the Naational Police Headquarters, Inspector General Abubakar B Nataprawira, said here on Tuesday the soldiers who were sent to normalize the situation in Masohi were from the Central Maluku regional military command and the Kabaressy 731 Infantry Batallion while the policemen came from the Mobile Brigade from the Maluku Regional Police Command and the riot police unit from the Central Maluku Police Resort.
He said the security forces had separated the two fighting groups to avoid further clashes.
The police had also detained a teacher known by his initials as WH who was at the center of the problem that had triggered the clash.
The teacher is suspected to have offended one of the groups in Masohi.
As a result of the clash two people were seriously injured and four others lightly wounded.
"As many as 42 houses have been burned. A house of prayer, a community center, a health care center, four public transportation vehicles and one motorbike have been damaged," he said.
Abubakar said the situation was conducive and under control but security forces remained on guard to preempt a recurrence of the violence.