Poso task force to destroy confiscated firearms, ammo

National News - June 17, 2006


Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu

The Central Sulawesi Security Operation Command (Koopskam) plans to end its work in the conflict-torn province next month by destroying firearms and explosives confiscated during raids or voluntarily surrendered by residents.

The chief of Koopskam, Insp. Gen. Paulus Purwoko, told The Jakarta Post that the organization has 33 handmade firearms, 199 pieces of ammunition and 40 homemade bombs and grenades in its possession.

"All of them will be destroyed at the same time when the task force's operation ends on July 3 in Poso," he said.

The task force, set up on Jan. 5 of this year, answers to the Office of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.

The task force was formed to investigate who is responsible for a series of violent attacks in Poso and Palu following the 2001 Malino peace agreement. The peace accord largely brought to an end clashes between Christians and Muslims that killed more than 1,000 people in 2000 and 2001.

Paulus blamed the conflict for the high number of illegal firearms found in the province. He said several hard-liners had entered Poso and trained the city's residents not only to use firearms, but to make them.

Arianto Sangadji of the Tanah Merdeka Palu Foundation said during the conflict's early period, residents mostly used traditional weapons such as machetes and spears.

He said in its middle period, however, various kinds of firearms were widely found across Poso. It is suspected they were smuggled in from locations outside the country, such as Mindanau in the Philippines.

Following the conflict, Central Sulawesi was notorious for its illegal firearms. Armed conflicts erupted from time to time. From 2000-2004, the police recorded 174 cases of violence involving firearms in the province.

"These cases do not include bombings," said Arianto.

Following the peace brought about by the Malino agreement, he said many residents hung onto their weapons since they did not want to become victims of armed conflicts.

"The reason for possessing firearms is simple: they still don't believe security personnel's assurances of their safety," he said.