Poso three's execution 'a matter of time'

Ruslan Sangadji
The Jakarta Post
Palu

The execution of the three men on death row for inciting violence in Poso will go ahead because their fate has been determined by law, the Central Sulawesi governor says.

Bandjela Paliudju said it would only be a matter of time before a new date was set for the execution, which the government delayed just hours before its deadline on Aug. 12 at 12:15 am.

"According to the law, the three should be executed and as citizens, we have to obey the law," the governor said.

The three -- Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva and Marianus Riwu -- were sentenced to death for inciting religious riots in the city on May 23, 2000, in which 191 people, mostly Muslims, were killed.

Announcing the delay on Aug. 11, National Police chief Gen. Sutanto said the three convicts -- all migrants from East Nusa Tenggara -- would be executed after Aug. 20 to allow their jailers to celebrate Independence Day on Thursday.

The announcement the execution would not go ahead was made just hours after the President received a telegram from Pope Benedict XVI, asking him to spare the men's lives.

Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda said in Malang the government had not made the decision to appease any party, foreign or domestic.

The delay has been condemned by groups supporting the execution and cautiously welcomed by others, who believe that the three men have been wrongly convicted of the crimes.

Governor Bandjela told people not to overact when responding to the stay of execution, warning that violent acts could provoke the resumption of a wider conflict.

"Our province is now safe and we're in the middle of a campaign to let outside people know it's safe here, so let's put a stop to all actions that will disrupt stability," Bandjela said.

Meanwhile, Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Oegroseno said he did not know when the execution of the three would be held. "The prosecutor office knows about it, we're just waiting for orders," he said.

However, the head of the provincial prosecutor's office, Yahya Sibe, said he believed the local police did know the execution's schedule and location.

The execution of the three is controversial because the men's lawyers claim they were wrongly convicted for the violence and are scapegoats in the case. They have release the names of 16 people they say masterminded the killings to the police, who are reinvestigating the incident.