The Jakarta Post, April 15, 2004
Mega orders heightened alert in Poso
Irvan NR and Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu, Central Sulawesi
President Megawati Soekarnoputri has called on authorities in the troubled regency of
Poso to be on high alert against possible renewed attacks that could jeopardize the
security situation in the regency.
"The president called on security personnel here to monitor the situation in the
regency second by second," Rully Lamadjido, deputy governor of Central Sulawesi
province, told reporters after a teleconference between the president and seven
provincial government officials and police on the security situation.
Rully said during the teleconference, the president also asked about the latest
situation in the troubled regency of Poso, where a string of shooting incidents over the
past three weeks killed two people -- one a local clergyman -- and injured eight
others.
According to Rully, the president expected that security personnel should be capable
of keeping the situation in the regency under control, as they did shortly after the
government brokered the Malino Peace Pact I in 2002.
The Malino I was signed by all warring parties in Poso after sectarian clashes that
erupted in the regency in 1999 had killed at least 2,000 Muslims and Christians and
forced other tens of thousands of people to flee to safer areas.
While conditions largely returned to normal, sporadic attacks continued throughout
2003 and claimed several lives.
Rully said local officials welcomed Megawati's comments and were ready to beef up
security in Poso. "We will immediately conduct a reassessment in order to improve
our methods and note our strengths and weaknesses in securing Poso."
Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Taufik Ridha informed Megawati during the
teleconference that the situation in Poso was under control.
He said the police had named several suspects in the recent shootings.
One of the suspects, Risman, is suspected of shooting Rosia Pilongo, dean of the
Law School at Sintuwu Maroso University. She was seriously wounded from the
shooting two weeks ago.
Taufik also told Megawati that security personnel in the area were conducting a
door-to-door search for homemade firearms and bombs that could be used by locals
to incite violence.
Separately, the Central Sulawesi Muslim Defense Lawyers filed a lawsuit on Tuesday
against Poso Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Abdi Dharma Sitepu over Risman's arrest.
The suit was heard on the same day, presided over by judge Sugeng Sudrajad. During
the hearing, the lawyers requested that the arrest be declared unlawful and for all
charges against Risman to be dropped.
The lawyers said the policemen who arrested Risman could not provide strong
evidence that Risman was involved in the shooting.
Meanwhile, Muslim groups in Poso declared on Wednesday that they were not
responsible for the recent string of attacks that had targeted Christians.
Sofyan Farid Lembah, chairman of the Solidarity of Islam Revolutionaries in Poso,
said Muslim groups had always taken a defensive stance and had never taken the
initiative in attacking Christians.
He said the recent attacks might have been perpetrated by irresponsible parties that
wanted to undermine the peace in Poso.
All contents copyright © of The Jakarta Post.
|
