| Southeast Maluku riots | |
| Date: | 6 October and 12 November 2022 |
| Place: | Kai Besar, Southeast Maluku Regency |
| Coordinates: | -5.6334°N 133.0089°W |
| Causes: | customary land disputes on village borders, as well as alleged ethnic and religious sentiments |
| Status: | Peace treaty |
| Goals: | Destruction of enemy villages and forced evictions |
| Methods: | Arson and assault |
| Side1: | Elat villagers |
| Side2: | Bombai villagersNgurdu villagers |
| Fatalities: | 2 civilians killed |
| Injuries: | 42 civilians and police injured |
| Casualties1: | unknown |
| Casualties2: | unknown |
2022 Southeast Maluku riots (id|Kerusuhan Maluku Tenggara 2022) was a series of riots that occurred on 6 October and 12 November 2022 in Southeast Maluku Regency, Maluku. The riots involved three villages (Kei: ohoi[1]) in Kai Besar District, namely the villages of Bombai and Ngurdu with the Elat village.
The riots between residents from both sides was allegedly triggered by traditional activities carried out by Bombai villagers, namely in the form of installing customary prohibitions or sasi adat on the border of the two villages. This is thought to have triggered anger among the Elat villagers, resulting in acts of mutual attack.[2]
Elat Village itself is one of two villages inhabited by Banda Muslims, besides the Eli village.[3] The Bandanese migrated to the Kei Islands from the Banda Islands due to the Banda massacre in 1609–1621 carried out by the VOC.[4] Meanwhile, the Bombai and Ngurdu villages are inhabited by Kei Catholics who are the indigenous people of the Kei Islands.[5] [6]
Apart from the problems on the border between the Elat and Bombai villages, the dispute between the two parties is also thought to be due to ethnic and religious sentiments between the three villages, but the Regent of Southeast Maluku, M. Thaher Hanubun denied it and stated that the riots that occurred were not a religious conflict.[7] In fact, this riots incident has often occurred before. Even the riot that occurred on 12 November 2022 was the impact of the previous incident. On Sunday, 6 October 2022, there was also a riot between the two villagers. However, the police immediately took security measures.[8]
The news that the riots between Bombai and Elat residents was caused by a land boundary dispute was denied by the figure of the Wandan Youth and Student Association Central Board of Directors Yunus Rahawarin, According to him, the trigger for the clash was a fight between students at Elat State High School on 6 October 2022. He said, the land boundary issue has been resolved long ago and there is no problem regarding the land that will be installed sasi adat. Even according to Yunus, the only ones who have the right to speak regarding the land in Elat are him and his family. Because, the land was a gift from King of Yamtel, the head of Mel Rahawarin.[9]
The riot started with a clash between three villagers that had been going on since Saturday morning, 12 November 2022, at UTC+8 08.00. The riots began when Bombai and Ngurdu villagers insisted on installing a sasi adat or customary prohibition on the border of Elat village. Residents of the three villages claim the land on the border as their land. The Elat villagers who did not accept the installation of the sasi adat then put up resistance until finally a clash occurred.[10] The weapons used in these clashes were machetes, arrows, bamboo, and firearms.[11]
As a result of this riot, two civilians died due to the riot and two Members of the Indonesian National Police consisting of members of Mobile Brigade Corps and Tual Police Station were injured because they were stabbed with arrows.[12] In addition to injuring two police officers, 42 civilians and police were also injured due to the riots that occurred. 26 houses and two school buildings were also burned down as a result of the riots.[13] [14]