Victims of Ambon blast reaches 50 

AMBON, Maluku (JP): At least 50 people were injured in a huge explosion near Hotel Amboina in downtown Ambon, capital of Maluku on Wednesday at noon local time, reports said.

There were unconfirmed reports that four people had died in the blast, but no immediate details were available.

At least 29 people were admitted to Dr. Haulussy General Hospital in Ambon, while around 20 victims were rushed to GPM (Protestant Maluku Church) Hospital and the rest of the victims were being treated at Bakti Rahayu Hospital.

"Residents were very angry and frustrated over the incident.. as the bomb exploded in the middle of the busy street. It's tragic that such brutal a incident has to reoccur here. People are very tired of violence, and they want security forces to takestern action towards the perpetrators," according to one local. 

Angry residents marched toward the Gubernatorial office, urging the administration to take responsibility for the incident. The mobs then proceeded to burn down several offices inthe gubernatorial compound.

No one claimed responsibility for the bombing.

Up to 9,000 died and tens of thousands were forced to flee their homes in two years of fighting in the archipelago, known as the Spice Islands during Dutch colonial rule.

Rival Christian and Muslim factions from Maluku province signed a government-sponsored peace agreement in Malino in February that provides for the disarming of militias and allows for the return of refugees to their homes.

However, Java-based Muslim militants belonging to the paramilitary group Laskar Jihad have vowed to disrupt the peace process in the province of two million people. The group refused to join the talks or to leave the area as called for in the Malino accord. (49/edt)