One person was killed and dozens injured in a clash between villages in Bali at the weekend, prompting recriminations from the island’s religious authorities about a growing loss of control among residents. 


Thousands of residents in neighboring villages in Klungkung district, about 25 kilometers from Denpasar, clashed in a long-running dispute over their borders and rival claims to a temple and cemetery. 


A man was killed when riot police allegedly fired into the crowd to quell the violence.
The Jakarta Globe said the weekend clash added to a long list of similar incidents of community violence on the island this year. 


The head of Hinduism’s highest authority in Bali has denounced the culture of violence as being uncharacteristic of the Balinese and said it was a stain on the island’s image as a world-renowned tourist destination.
He said disputes should be settled in the traditional way and through legal channels.
“Yet many disputes persist and have a tendency to erupt in violence,†the leader said.
