Indonesian security forces patrolling Borneo island have been given a new order to shoot rioters on sight after 11 days of violence between native Dayaks and Madurese migrants armed with machetes and spears.
No new violence was reported as the evacuation of the Madurese - the main victim of the battles - continued. Aid officials complained authorities were not doing enough to help the victims.
At least 428 people have been killed in the region since the fighting began.
Across the province of Central Kalimantan, tens of thousands of terrified people, mostly descendants of migrants from the island of Madura, have abandoned their possessions and fled from indigenous Dayak mobs intent on driving them out.
In the town of Sampit, constant rain added to the misery of the estimated 25,000 refugees living under plastic sheeting in the grounds of the police station.
Local and international aid agencies said medical services in the town were badly stretched.
Witnesses yesterday told of the horrific massacre of 112 Madurese by Dayak warriors on a football pitch offthe road between Sampit and the provincial capital of Palangkaraya.
Survivors said the victims, including 20 children, were lured from their jungle hideout by government promises of safe passage only to be hacked to death by a mob.
Police said officers assigned to guard the group were outnumbered.
AP