The Jakarta Post, July 14, 2002
Poso back to normal after bomb blast
National News - July 14, 2002
Erick W., The Jakarta Post, Palu
The situation in Poso regency, Central Sulawesi, returned to normal on Saturday, one
day after a bomb explosion that killed a woman in a bus, but police kept closed the
road where the blast had occurred.
The crowd, which had begun to gather at the bomb site on Friday night, had
dispersed, Poso Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Unggung Cahyono said by telephone on
Saturday.
He said locals in Poso had returned to their normal activities.
The bomb killed 18-year-old Eta and wounded severely four others, including the bus
conductor who triggered the explosion when he opened the bag inside which the
bomb was concealed.
All victims were passengers on a bus heading to Poso town along the trans-Sulawesi
highway. The bus driver found the bomb inside a bag lying on the road and asked his
conductor to pick it up.
A second bomb reportedly exploded after someone threw it against the side of the
bus and it apparently killed Eta.
The incident occurred close to a security post. Locals, who tried to pursue the
bomber, were angered when security personnel refused to join the chase. As more
people gathered at the scene, police closed the road, Antara reported.
The incident was the second bus bombing since the Malino peace agreement, which
was signed last December. The first occurred on June 5, 2002, on the highway,
claiming five lives.
The region has been the location of fighting between Muslims and Christians, although
clashes abated after the two warring groups signed the government-sponsored peace
accord. Sporadic violence, however, continues. Eleven have died, including those from
a bomb explosion in June.
"We call on locals to remain calm and not be provoked (into committing any form of
aggression)," said Sulaiman Manar, who chairs the working group of the Malino peace
agreement.
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