Thursday, October 12, 2006

Poso 'does not need security operation'

PALU, Central Sulawesi: The religiously split Palu regency will not reinstate the security operation command (Koopskam) despite violence that followed the execution of three Christians on Sept. 22, the Central Sulawesi governor says.

Governor Bandjela Paliudju said local security forces were capable of handling the situation in Poso, which for some years was the scene of a sectarian conflict that killed more than 1,000 Muslims and Christians.

"We don't need Koopskam at the present," Paliudju said after meeting with the visiting head of the National Intelligence Agency, Syamsir Siregar.

The central government formed Koopskam in January in the wake of escalating tension. It was disbanded in June.

Syamsir played down the latest round of violence, saying that the incidents had been "exaggerated" by the media, Antara reported.

As an example, he said, the media described a grenade used in an attack in Poso on Sept. 30 as "very lethal", while in fact the grenade was "only an old one". -- JP

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Police make arrests over Poso deaths

The Jakarta Post
Palu, Jakarta

Two Muslim men were allegedly slain by a crowd angered by last month's execution of three Christian militants in Central Sulawesi province, police said Monday, while a small explosion shook Poso on Sunday.

The two had been missing for two weeks when their bodies were discovered Saturday in Pongge village in the strife-torn town of Poso, Central Sulawesi Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Muhammad Kilat said.

He said at least 14 suspects had been arrested and that the number could increase to up to 25 depending on the results of the police investigation.

Three of the suspects have said they decapitated the two victims on the orders of a man identified as Api Tumonggi.

"I used a machete to chop their heads off. Afterward, I ran to the backyard to hide. I really regret my wrongdoing," said Eping, 29, one of the three.

He said a feeling of guilt had "shadowed" him, prompting him to hand himself over to police, along with two other suspects, Bambang and Saiful, after hiding for a week.

"Api Tumonggi must be held responsible for the crime. I was only his accomplice," Eping said.

He said the two victims had attempted to hide inside a house of one of the village's residents, but the mob was so large it was impossible to escape.

Kilat said the men had been traveling in a truck carrying fish when they were stopped by a crowd of Christians on Sept. 23, a day after police executed three Christians for leading a militia in several attacks that killed Muslims during sectarian violence in Poso six years ago.

"They were told to stop but refused. They were chased by the angry group and mobbed," Kilat was quoted by Reuters as saying, adding that the attack had been "spontaneous".

The Sept. 22 executions of Fabianus Tibo, Marianus Riwu and Dominggus da Silva triggered riots among Christians, while human rights groups have raised questions over the fairness of the trial.

The family of Tibo, who live on Flores island, said Monday they had decided to have his body autopsied and to take the case to an international court for alleged human rights violations in the execution.

"We held a family meeting on Friday in Ende (in Flores) and agreed to conduct and autopsy and file a suit with an international court," family spokeswoman Yustinus Sani told Antara.

Five bullet wounds were found in each of the three men, she said, indicating they had been tortured before being shot dead by the firing squad.

Yustinus said the plans for the autopsy and lawsuit would have to wait until after the 40th night ceremony had been held for Tibo. Local custom forbids an autopsy less than 40 days after death.

Meanwhile, a bomb blast shook Poso on Sunday night, but there were no reports of deaths or injuries.

The explosion, believed to have been caused by a homemade bomb, took place 9:45 p.m. in Kasiguncu subdistrict. A house owned by former Poso legislative council member Pedi Tandwuiya, was damaged in the blast. Pedi vacated the building in 2000 because of the escalating violence in the area.

National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Bambang Kuncoko said two witnesses had been questioned over the low-explosive blast.

"There are people and groups that don't want Poso and Central Sulawesi to be stable. However, the situation is now under control. We have deployed eight squads of officers to many locations across the town," Bambang said.***

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Security tight after violence flares in Poso

National News - October 02, 2006
Ruslan Sangadji
The Jakarta Post
Poso, Central Sulawesi

Paramilitary police are being deployed here after a series of attacks and bombings during the weekend amid rising religious tensions following the executions of three Christian militants.

About 20 men wearing black masks blocked a road in Poso town, witnesses told The Associated Press.

They stopped a bus and forced five passengers to get out, intimidating them and stabbing one before police arrived.

The victim was hospitalized with wounds to his back, said Yeni, a nurse. She described his condition as "serious".

Communal tensions have risen on Sulawesi since the executions last week of three Catholic men convicted of leading a militia that carried out attacks in 2000, including an assault on an Islamic school that left at least 70 dead.

Early Sunday morning two bombs exploded near a church and local government offices in Poso's Kawua subdistrict. No one was hurt. When police later arrived, a group of angry Christian villagers attacked them, accusing them of failing to secure the area.

Cornered, police retreated to the Muslim-majority Sayo subdistrict.

A few hours before midnight Saturday, a police vehicle was attacked when a group of men threw a small bomb at a bomb-squad van, AFP reported.

It was the fourth to rock the town in a day, police said.

Previously, three other small bombs went off on Saturday night, part of what police say is an attempt to stir up unrest after the execution of Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus Da Silva and Marinus Riwu.

The three were shot dead by firing squad on Sept. 22.

Human rights activists believe the executions were hasty and politically motivated. No Muslims involved in the convict were sentenced to death and all received jail terms of less than 15 years.

On Friday, more than 100 Christian youths, angered by the Sept. 22 executions, torched a police station and hurled rocks at a helicopter carrying a police chief, state news agency Antara said.

Poso Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Rudy Sufahyadi said the situation in Poso was now under control after the deployment of another 300 officers from the East Kalimantan Police.

Residents have also returned home to the Kawua and Sayo subdistricts in the city although the situation there remains tense.

National Police chief Gen. Sutanto called on people Sunday not to be easily provoked into a larger-scale conflict.

In Taripa village, the situation was calm after the riot at the Pamona Timur Police headquarters there two weeks ago.

The compound remains guarded by members of the Central Sulawesi Police Mobile Brigade, while remnants of burned vehicles resulting from the riot have not been removed.

The Trans Sulawesi highway that links four main provinces on the island has also been reopened.

Thousands of people earlier ran amok at the headquarters after the executions, ransacking the building and setting fire to police vehicles.

Several policemen from the precinct were reported to have fled into the mountains.***

Police identify perpetrators of Taripa riot

National News - October 03, 2006


Ruslan Sangadji
The Jakarta Post
Poso

The Central Sulawesi Police say they have identified four people whom they believe were involved in the disturbances in Taripa, East Pamona district, Poso regency, on Sept. 29. They are still at large.

Two police cars and two motorcycles, and the Taripa police post were damaged in the incident.

Central Sulawesi Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. M. Kilat said Monday that the police had not yet made any arrests as they still lacked sufficient evidence. They are now questioning the four as witnesses after they were identified as having participated in the riot.

"There are some legal steps we have to go through before charging and arresting them," said Kilat.

The disturbances followed last week's execution of three Christians by firing squad in Palu.

The three were executed after being convicted of inciting violence against Muslims in 2000. The executions went ahead despite the opposition of many Christians.

Sporadic unrest in Christian-dominated areas erupted after the executions.

According to Kilat, most of the suspects are from outside Taripa, but are from within the Poso area. The instigators had taken advantage of the padungku (harvest) festival in Taripa village, which was attended by thousands of people from a number of villages in East Pamona district, as well as neighboring North Pamona.

The festival is usually marked by heavy drinking. "The provocateurs benefited from the situation to mobilize the crowd," said Kilat.

The situation in Poso appears to be getting worse, with angry mobs blocking the Trans-Sulawesi highway. In Kayamanya in Poso city, a public bus plying the Parigi-Makassar route was stopped and its passengers attacked and beaten.

One passenger, Jelin, 20, who suffered wounds to his back and head, is still being treated at the Poso General Hospital.

Kilat said that the attack was carried out by about five unidentified persons wearing masks.

Another victim, Ebiet, said that he and his three companions were abducted for two days in South Pamona. However, he was eventually freed although two of his friends, who were of a different faith, continued to be detained.

Ebiet said in Palu on Saturday that the assailants, numbering around 10 people, wore masks. They appeared out of the bushes as Ebiet's car approached. "Four of us were in the car. Myself and a friend of mine were released but they kept the other two, who are Christians," he said.

A police post was set on fire in Poso on Sunday. The arson attack took place as Muslim residents in Gerbang Rejo were enjoying their breaking-of-the-fast meals. They tried to put out the fire but to no avail. No one saw the perpetrators.

In Kawua and Sayo, gunshots were heard in the two subdistricts, which mark the demarcation line between Christian and Muslim communities, at around 10:30 p.m. local time. A resident from Lombogia subdistrict, Muhammad Rasyid, said he heard five shots, adding that local people had remained calm.

Meanwhile, in order to help contain the situation, a meeting between representatives of the Muslim and Christian communities was held Saturday under the sponsorship of the Poso regental administration.

The meeting was chaired by Poso Regent Piet Inkiriwang, who urged religious figures to help persuade their followers not to be easily provoked by third parties.***

Poso activist denies military accusation

Ruslan Sangadji
The Jakarta Post
Palu

A civil society activist in Poso, Central Sulawesi, denied Friday military accusations that he had been involved in the violence that followed the executions of three Catholics.

Iskandar Lamuka, director of Poso-based NGO the Institute for Empowering Civil Society, said he had been called by the Poso Police for questioning.

"I've received a letter from the police asking me to attend a questioning session on Monday. I'll be there and will explain what really happened," he said.

On Thursday, Wirabuana Military commander Maj. Gen. Arief Budi Sampurno named Iskandar as one several non-governmental activists and local officials he believed were behind the violence in the aftermath of the executions of the Poso Three.

Fabianus Tibo, Marinus Riwu and Dominggus da Silva were found guilty of leading a Christian militia that launched a series of attacks in Central Sulawesi in May 2000, and were sentenced to death in 2001.

Their Sept 22. executions triggered violence in the province and in East Nusa Tenggara, where da Silva was from. In Poso, angry Taripa villagers in the North Pamona district stormed a police station and set fire to three cars, while the town itself has been rocked by several recent bombings.

Poso military command chief Lt. Col. Indra Maulana Harahap, following the orders of Arief, officially reported Iskandar to the Poso Police for defamation after he gave an interview to local radio station 68H on Oct. 2. Iskandar says he believes he did not defame any individuals or institutions in the interview.

"(I was only saying that) there are certain groups that intentionally provoke residents to trigger open conflict and legitimize the police in declaring a civil to emergency situation," he said.

Iskandar said Arief had accused him of provoking residents to resort to violent acts.

"I never said anything like that. I never accused TNI as (Arief) said. The accusation is groundless. (Arief)'s statement is misleading," said Iskandar, who is also an executive of the Poso Center NGO.

Before setting up his civil society institute, Iskandar, along with Poso community figure Yus Mangun, worked assisting conflict victims in Poso who were fleeing to Palu. He also pushed for the disclosure of the details of a Poso humanitarian fund corruption case that involved several important officials, a move that allegedly helped make his office a bomb target.

Meanwhile, the Poso Center has said it intends to prepare several lawyers to accompany Iskandar during his Monday questioning.

"We believe Iskandar is innocent, it's just the Wirabuana Military commander who doesn't want to be criticized. if he wanted to have dialog, things would clear up," said Mahfud Masuara, the center's secretary.

He said individuals, NGOs and religious groups had all criticized the way the authorities had handled Poso and the Military's decision to deploy troops.

He said the violence was evidence of the government's failure and that it and the authorities should be held responsible.

"We also want a review of the troop presence in Poso because they haven't made the situation there any better," Mahfud said.***

Monday, October 02, 2006

Security tight after violence flares in Poso

Ruslan Sangadji
The Jakarta Post
Poso, Central Sulawesi

Paramilitary police are being deployed here after a series of attacks and bombings during the weekend amid rising religious tensions following the executions of three Christian militants.

About 20 men wearing black masks blocked a road in Poso town, witnesses told The Associated Press.

They stopped a bus and forced five passengers to get out, intimidating them and stabbing one before police arrived.

The victim was hospitalized with wounds to his back, said Yeni, a nurse. She described his condition as "serious".

Communal tensions have risen on Sulawesi since the executions last week of three Catholic men convicted of leading a militia that carried out attacks in 2000, including an assault on an Islamic school that left at least 70 dead.

Early Sunday morning two bombs exploded near a church and local government offices in Poso's Kawua subdistrict. No one was hurt. When police later arrived, a group of angry Christian villagers attacked them, accusing them of failing to secure the area.

Cornered, police retreated to the Muslim-majority Sayo subdistrict.

A few hours before midnight Saturday, a police vehicle was attacked when a group of men threw a small bomb at a bomb-squad van, AFP reported.

It was the fourth to rock the town in a day, police said.

Previously, three other small bombs went off on Saturday night, part of what police say is an attempt to stir up unrest after the execution of Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus Da Silva and Marinus Riwu.

The three were shot dead by firing squad on Sept. 22.

Human rights activists believe the executions were hasty and politically motivated. No Muslims involved in the convict were sentenced to death and all received jail terms of less than 15 years.

On Friday, more than 100 Christian youths, angered by the Sept. 22 executions, torched a police station and hurled rocks at a helicopter carrying a police chief, state news agency Antara said.

Poso Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Rudy Sufahyadi said the situation in Poso was now under control after the deployment of another 300 officers from the East Kalimantan Police.

Residents have also returned home to the Kawua and Sayo subdistricts in the city although the situation there remains tense.

National Police chief Gen. Sutanto called on people Sunday not to be easily provoked into a larger-scale conflict.

In Taripa village, the situation was calm after the riot at the Pamona Timur Police headquarters there two weeks ago.

The compound remains guarded by members of the Central Sulawesi Police Mobile Brigade, while remnants of burned vehicles resulting from the riot have not been removed.

The Trans Sulawesi highway that links four main provinces on the island has also been reopened.

Thousands of people earlier ran amok at the headquarters after the executions, ransacking the building and setting fire to police vehicles.

Several policemen from the precinct were reported to have fled into the mountains. ***

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Families of Poso three follow men's last wishes

National News - September 30, 2006
Ruslan Sangadji and Yemris Fointuna
The Jakarta Post, Palu, Kupang

Relatives of executed Poso convicts Fabianus Tibo and Marinus Riwu fulfilled the last wishes of the two Friday while the family of Dominggus da Silva has decided to postpone its plan to exhume his body for an autopsy until the end of the 40-day mourning period.

Relatives of Fabianus Tibo and Marinus Riwu, who were executed last Friday along with Dominggus da Silva for inciting violence against Muslims in Central Sulawesi in 2000, returned the coffins provided by the Central Sulawesi Prosecutor's Office.

The coffins were returned in compliance with Tibo and Marinus' last wish, to reject all facilities provided by the state following their execution in Palu despite appeals for clemency and criticism from human rights groups.

An entourage of three cars, including two ambulances carrying the coffins, arrived at the office at 1 p.m. after a 10-hour trip from Beteleme, Morowali regency, led by Rev. Renaldy Damanik.

But since the office's entrance was closed, they dropped the two coffins right in front of it.

Damanik said he could not take the executions last Friday and was only following the Poso three's dying wish.

The family also returned two suits, two pairs of shoes and ties.

After waiting for half an hour and it was clear the prosecutor's office was not going to receive them, the entourage left the open coffins, which emitted a foul odor, right at the entrance.

Meanwhile, in Sikka regency's capital Maumere in East Nusa Tenggara, da Silva's family has decided to postpone the plan to exhume his body for a second autopsy until the 40-day mourning period is over.

The change in plans was approved by the leader of the family, H.E. da Silva, and da Silva's adoptive father Anselmus da Silva.

"The family stands by its earlier decision to uphold justice. But since we have to perform rituals and pray for Dominggus, the family is postponing the plan until the 40 days of prayers for Dominggus is completed," family spokesman Patrik da Silva said from Maumere when contacted Friday.

He said the decision would allow the family to pray without any disruption.

"Everything that relates to our customs is in the hands of the leader so the family has decided to postpone the plan which was scheduled for the end of this week," Patrik said.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paulus Purwoko said Thursday the family of da Silva had dropped a plan to exhume his body for an autopsy to determine whether he was tortured before his execution.

"I heard a report from East Nusa Tenggara Police that da Silva's family has canceled the plan to exhume his body," Paulus said as quoted by Antara news agency.

He said he did not know why the family had dropped the plan but assumed it was because religious figures had convinced the family that da Silva was not tortured before the execution.

Da Silva was originally buried in Palu, Central Sulawesi, after an autopsy was performed by local officials. His body was then exhumed upon the request of his lawyers and church members. A wake was held at the local Catholic church and the body was sent back to da Silva's hometown of Maumere for burial.

Big turnouts for burials of Poso 3

National News - September 25, 2006
The Jakarta Post, Poso, Maumere

Thousands of mourners attended Sunday's burial in Morowali regency, Central Sulawesi, of two of three Catholic men executed last week for leading sectarian attacks, while the body of the third was flown home to Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara.

Their executions by firing squad early Friday in the Central Sulawesi provincial capital of Palu sparked violence, with mobs vandalizing government buildings and police posts in Maumere and storming a jail in Atambua on western Timor island.

At least 5,000 mourners were present at the burial of Fabianus Tibo, who was buried in Beteleme village, Lembo district, in Morowali. The burial ceremony, led by Father Jimmy Tumbelaka, started at 11 a.m. local time and ended at 14:30 p.m. with his interment.

The body of Martinus Riwu was buried in Molore village, Petania district, about 25 kilometers from Beteleme. Martinus' burial was led by Father Jacob Adilang.

"The burial ceremony was orderly," Kinsen Lumintang, a Catholic youth activist, was quoted as saying by Antara newswire.

Soldiers and police guarded churches and mosques in Poso and along roads leading to Beteleme and Molore.

Before the burial, Poso Regent Piet Inkiriwang tried to hand over Rp 5 million (about US$525) in cash to the bereaved relatives of the men, but they refused the money.

Relatives said they were disappointed by the regency's failure to prevent the executions, and especially comments that the executions should be expedited because of security concerns.

Meanwhile, the body of Dominggus da Silva, who had been buried in Palu after his execution, was exhumed and flown back to Maumere on Sunday, his lawyer Roy Rening said.

On eastern Flores island, thousands lined the streets as his body of the 41-year-old public transportation driver was driven from Waioti airport in Maumere to Waidoko graveyard.

The arrival of his body was greeted by his family, Deputy Governor of East Nusa Tenggara Frans Leburaya, Kupang's Wirasakti Military Commander Col. Arif Rachman, East Nusa Tenggara Police chief Brig. Gen. Robert B. Sadarum, Sikka Regent Aleks Longginus and other local government officials.

After a brief stop at his family home, the body was taken to St. Yoseph Cathedral where a prayer session was led by Maumere Diocese official Father Frans Fao for about 10,000 mourners. Dominggus was later buried beside the grave of his father.

Tibo, Marinus and Dominggus were convicted of leading a Christian militia that carried out a series of attacks in May 2000 in Sulawesi, including a machete and gun assault on an Islamic school where dozens of men were seeking shelter. More than 1,000 people of both faiths died in four years of fighting.

But human rights groups have raised questions over the fairness of the trial, and questioned whether the three men were high-ranking fighters. Some analysts have suggested that Indonesia bowed to pressure from hardline groups.

Many Sulawesi Christians, who have been the target of regular terrorist attacks since large-scale clashes ended in 2002, said they wanted to see an end to the spike in tensions since the executions.

"All of us here want peace," Lapasiana toldAP before going to church in Poso on Sunday. "We do not want any more war or killings."

Meanwhile, the Sikka Police have arrested three people for alleged involvement in the vandalism and arson of government buildings on Friday.

They were accused of taking part in riots which destroyed Maumere District Court, the local legislative council building and Maumere prosecutor's office.

Bukaka to send some power to Central Sulawesi

National News - September 25, 2006
Ruslan Sangadji
The Jakarta Post
Palu

Private investment company PT Bukaka Hydropower has agreed to allot at least 30 percent of power generated by the Sulewana hydropower plant project, known as Poso 2, for power needs in Central Sulawesi.

The agreement was reached in a meeting between representatives of PT Bukaka, its partner PT Poso Energy and Central Sulawesi Governor Bandjela Paliudju and regents throughout the Central Sulawesi province in Parigi Moutong regency last week.

The agreement was reached after a heated debate over PT Bukaka's intention to supply most of its power production from the 180-megawatt Poso 2 power plant to nickel company PT Inco in Soroako, South Sulawesi, and state-owned mining company PT Aneka Tambang in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi.

Upon hearing that most of the power from the power plant project would be channeled out to other provinces as disclosed at the meeting by Poso Energy director Heru Husaini, Governor Paliudju, the regents and Central Sulawesi legislators were enraged.

"It's clearly inappropriate if natural resources in Central Sulawesi are not tapped for the province, but for its neighboring provinces. What will Central Sulawesi get from such exploitation?" asked Paliudju.

He urged both PT Bukaka and PT Poso Energy to pay more attention to the region where their investment lies.

Paliudju's view was shared by head of the development commission of the Central Sulawesi Legislative Council, Muharram Nurdin, who said that PT Bukaka and PT Poso Energy had offended the sentiments of the Central Sulawesi people.

"If this is how it is going to be, PT Bukaka and PT Poso Energy may as well leave Central Sulawesi," Muharram said.

He said it would be better to not have any investment in Central Sulawesi if it only burdened the local people.

Central Sulawesi regents, including Parigi Moutong Regent Longky Djanggola, Morowali Regent Datlin Tamalagi and Poso Deputy Regent Abd Muthalib Rimi also expressed their displeasure.

"I will ask my people to pull down the electricity transmission towers if the electricity is not for Central Sulawesi," said Longky Djanggola.

After a heated argument the governor and Irsal Kamaruddin of PT Bukaka and Heru Husaini of PT Poso Energy agreed that Bukaka would share part of its power production in Central Sulawesi.

Under the agreement, PT Bukaka and PT Poso Energy have agreed to reserve 30 percent of power generated from Poso 2 for Central Sulawesi.

Meanwhile, in order to maintain the water supply needed to generate power, the Central Sulawesi provincial administration has agreed to protect nearby forests and their catchment areas.***