No 'emergency' status for Central Sulawesi

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu

Central Sulawesi governor-elect Maj. Gen. (ret) Bandjela Paliudju said here Friday that despite the high level of terror incidents in the province, he would not impose a civil emergency in the conflict-torn region.
"I have to emphasize here there will be no imposition of a civil emergency in Poso and Central Sulawesi," Bandjela told The Jakarta Post.
Bandjela made the remarks in response to concerns on the part of a number of parties in Central Sulawesi that due to his military background, his election as governor would lead to the application of military systems in his administration.
On Jan. 27, the Central Sulawesi Elections Commission declared Bandjela, who was governor of the province from 1995 to 2000, the winner of the gubernatorial election. He received 411,113 votes from a total of 1.4 million registered voters, defeating Rully Lamadjido who garnered 380,979 votes.
Bandjela, who will be sworn in Feb. 21, said there were two major goals he wanted to complete within his first 100 days in office. The first is the restoration of security, and the second is the thorough investigation of corruption cases, including the embezzlement of Poso humanitarian funds.
"I'm only concentrating on these two priorities ... I urge the people of Central Sulawesi not to think about unrelated issues. Just help me settle these two issues," Bandjela said.
He said the restoration of security would not emphasize a security approach, but rather law enforcement and the empowerment of security institutions, the community and informal bodies.
"This is intended so that all parties have their own responsibilities in ensuring security in Central Sulawesi," he said.
Edmont Leonard of the Central Sulawesi chapter of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence said Bandjela's stance constituted a step forward and needed the support of all parties.
"We appreciate his remarks ... it should be this way for any regional head, who has to be strict, especially with regard to security, including the humanitarian conflicts gripping Poso," Edmont said.
He said the community's demand for security had been misinterpreted by some government and security officials.
As examples, he cited the murder of three Christian students in Poso, which was responded to with the establishment of the Poso Task Force, and a bombing in a market in Palu, which the authorities answered by setting up the Security Operation Command and raising the status of the Poso Police.
Edmont emphasized the importance of the new governor coming up with new concepts for handling conflicts in Poso, taking a more humane approach that respected human rights.
"It is time for the governor-elect to take a stance, and the handling of conflicts in Poso should no longer involve military approaches, as this only creates new problems," he said.