Buffington Media

Conflict between tidungs and bugis – Indonesia sent two battalions to the island of Borneo to quell an outbreak of tribal violence

* The situation is tense and many shops are closed
* The president wants to avoid a repeat of the conflict of the past decade

The Indonesian government said Wednesday it has sent two battalions, one Army and one from the Police, its territory on the island of Borneo to quell the outbreak of violence between tribes and Bugi Tidung.

The troops have been moved to the town of Tarakan, on the island of the same name, confined to the East Kalimantan province and known to historians for the battles fought here and Japanese allies in 1942 and 1945. The situation in that population of about 170,000 inhabitants is tense and many shops remained closed Wednesday because of fear of violence.

The quarrels began last Monday, when a tidung was allegedly beaten by members of the tribe Bugis. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, said to be monitoring the situation as soon as possible to avoid a repeat of the conflict of the past decade.

Between late 1996 and early 1997, at least 500 settlers from Madura were killed by the Dayak and a similar number died in the renewed fighting between 1999 and 2001. The root of this conflict comes from the 70′s, when President Suharto took out plans for relocation of the population displaced and marginalized the Dayak.

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