12 killed, 1,600 displaced in Indonesia violence: police

JAKARTA: Twelve people have been killed and more than 1,600 others displaced in violent ethnic clashes on Indonesia's Sumatra island, police said Tuesday. "The clashes between residents in two villages in Lampung province killed 12 people and displaced another 1,663," a provincial police spokeswoman told AFP. More than 2,000 police officers were deployed to stem the violence on the southern tip of Sumatra after the clashes began on Sunday, she said, adding that the situation was now calm. The violence has pitted people from the largely Balinese Hindu community in the village of Balinuraga against those from the predominantly Muslim village of Sidoreno, local media reported.  Reports said the violence was sparked after two young women from one village were allegedly harassed by men from the other village. Indonesia is 90 percent Muslim and religious minorities often complain of being persecuted, although most Indonesians practise a moderate form of Islam.

(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)