TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Sixteen people were injured and four homes were destroyed during a clash in Mangga Dua subdistrict in Ambon on Tuesday. “It wasn’t a racial or religious conflict,” said the National Police’s general information head Boy Rafli Amar in Jakarta yesterday. The situation in Ambon improved yesterday. The police managed to control the condition. “Maluku and Ambon police as well as the Mobile Brigade have controlled the scene,” said the National Police’s public information bureau chief, Brig. Gen. H.M. Taufik. Based on Tempo’s observation in Ambon, activities returned to normal on Wednesday morning with offices, shops, schools and business centers reopened. The incident, which happened at midnight, began when a Lorong Kolonel resident set off firecrackers and threw them at the homes in Airmata Cina, which is bordered by a 4-meter river. The firecrackers set a house on fire after which the residents woke up and threw stones at each other. Ambon and Lease Islands Police chief, Comm. Suharwiyono said it was difficult to tackle the conflict and prevent the house from being burned. Several suspects were named yesterday. MOCHTAR TOUWE | ANANDA W. TERESIA