Paras Indonesia, September, 19 2006 @ 06:10 pm
Poso Executions Set For Thursday
By: Roy Tupai
Police are yet to confirm reports that three Christian militants sentenced to death for
inciting deadly religious riots in Poso, Central Sulawesi province, will be executed by
firing squad on Thursday (21/9/06). But the Attorney General's Office has suggested
the executions will take place this week.
Fabianus Tibo, Marinus Riwu and Dominggus da Silva were in 2001 found guilty of
leading a Christian militia that murdered dozens of Muslims between May and June
2000 during the sectarian conflict in Poso. The most serious charge involved the
massacre of Muslim women and children sheltering at an Islamic boarding school.
The trio's lawyer Roy Rening said the men had on Monday received a letter from local
prosecutors stating they would be executed in the provincial capital of Palu on
September 21
National Police spokesman Bambang Kuncoko could not immediately confirm the
execution date. "The National Police cannot provide confirmation because the matter
is being handled directly by the Central Sulawesi Police," he was quoted as saying
Tuesday by detikcom online news portal.
He said the Central Sulawesi Police were yet to inform National Police headquarters
that a notification of execution letter had been sent to the three prisoners. "Just direct
all of your inquiries about the executions to Central Sulawesi," he added.
Fellow National Police spokesman Anton Bachrul Alam was also unable to provide
any information. "I'm busy. Just ask Central Sulawesi," he said curtly.
But Central Sulawesi Police chief Senior Commissioner Badrootin Haiti could not be
reached by telephone on Tuesday. His staff said he was busy leading a security
ceremony in Palu. Central Sulawesi Police spokesman Muhammad Kilat denied the
notification letter had been sent, saying it was still being handled by the local
prosecutor's office.
Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh was able to confirm the Central Sulawesi
Prosecutor's Office had sent a notification of execution letter to the three prisoners on
Monday, but he declined to state when the executions would take place. "The
notification was received yesterday. In line with the law, the prisoners have been
notified," he said.
Pressed to confirm the date of the executions, he simply replied: "Do the math
yourselves." Under a 1964 presidential decree, a person on death row is to be given
three days' notice prior to their execution.
Attorney General's Office spokesman I Wayan Pasek Suartha said the notification of
execution letter would be sent tonight. He refused to reveal exactly when and where
the executions would occur, saying the matter was in the hands of Central Sulawesi
Chief Prosecutor Mahfud Manan.
Reports said a meeting between Central Sulawesi Police chief Haiti and chief
prosecutor Manan on September 14 decided the three men should be killed either
before or after the upcoming Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan. The decision to
conduct the executions on September 21 was reportedly made at a follow-up meeting
on Monday night, attended by Haiti, Manan, local military commander Major General
Arief Sampurno, Central Sulawesi Governor Bandjela Paliudju and local Catholic
leaders. Poso priest Pastor Jemmy Tumbelaka said the meeting decided the
executions would take place at dawn Friday.
Wahid Seeks Cancellation
Former president Abdurrahman 'Gus Dur' Wahid, a lifelong proponent of human rights,
said the executions of Tibo, Riwu and da Silva must be canceled because there are
still doubts over their guilt. "I am disappointed. It is a violation of Islamic teachings.
According to Islam, if there is still doubt, it cannot be carried out," he was quoted as
saying by detikcom.
"I have tried to have the executions postponed. I have telephoned the Attorney
General, but they are still scheduled to go ahead. What can be said? I am only
human," he said.
Tibo, Riwu and da Silva were initially due to have faced the firing squad on August 12,
but the executions were postponed at the last minute after President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono received a telegram from Pope Benedict XIV requesting their lives be
spared. Officials said the executions had been delayed merely to avoid spoiling the
festive mood for the country's August 17 Independence Day.
In recent weeks there have been major demonstrations by hardline Muslims
demanding the executions take place immediately. Christian groups have held
counter-demonstrations, arguing the men must be pardoned because they were
scapegoats and authorities have failed to find the masterminds of the Poso violence.
Rights groups have also called for clemency, expressing concern over the fairness of
the men's trial, citing intimidation by Muslim extremists.
The three men - all originally from outside Sulawesi - are the only people to sentenced
to death over the Poso unrest. "If we are talking about fairness, all the perpetrators
from both sides should be sentenced to death," lawyer Rening was quoted as saying
by the Associated Press.
Rening recently filed a second request for clemency with Yudhoyono but is yet to
receive a response. "I am still hopeful SBY will order prosecutors to stop the
executions," he said.
He said the three are now under special confinement and can only be visited by close
family, lawyers and priests.
International Court
Lawyers grouped in the Advocacy Service for Justice and Peace in Indonesia
(PADMA) have said they will take the trio's case before the International Criminal
Court in Geneva.
PADMA chairman Peter Selestianus was quoted by AsiaNews as saying a human
rights convention ratified by Jakarta allowed the case to be taken to the international
court, "to bring to light the injustices taking place in Indonesian trials".
"The death penalty of the three Catholics goes against humanity and is an enormous
abuse of human rights. The International Criminal Court has the authority to review the
verdict," he said.
Prominent figures in the Arab world, including Iranian Ayatollah Mohammad Ali
Taskhiri, judge El Halabi Abbas and Lebanese scholar Mohammad Sammak, have
reportedly sent a letter to Yudhoyono requesting clemency for the Poso three to prove
"once again that justice is a fundamental principle in Islam".
Senior Politician Demands Death
People's Consultative Assembly speaker Hidayat Nurwahid, former leader of the
Islam-based Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), demonstrated his compassion on
Tuesday by saying there is no reason for the government to further delay the
executions.
He said the law must be upheld without exception or foreign intervention because
Indonesia is a state based on law. "Under the principle of freedom, whether seen from
the Tibo issue or not, Indonesia is a state based on law, so the law must be upheld,"
he said.
Hidayat said the legal process had been implemented in a transparent, professional,
thorough and final manner, so there was no option but to execute the Poso three, as
they had exhausted all avenues of appeal. "We must not submit to intervention by any
foreign groups, whether or not they want to free Tibo. Indonesia must carry out [the
executions]. As a state based on law, anyone who violates the law, whether in cases
of illegal logging, corruption or trafficking in women trafficking, must be dealt with," he
said.
"I hope the government and the law enforcers of Indonesia will not be reluctant to
uphold the law merely because of foreign intervention," he added.
Final Requests: No State Coffins
Tibo, Riwu and da Silva received a visit on Tuesday afternoon from lawyer Rening,
Pastor Tumbelaka and Tibo's eldest son Robert. Tumbelaka said the three
condemned men asked that they not be buried in funeral shrouds and coffins supplied
by the state.
"If the execution process continues to be pushed ahead, the three of them refuse to
use garments and coffins provided by the government," Tumbelaka was quoted as
saying by state news agency Antara. He said their rejection of the "state facilities"
was in protest at their impending executions, adding the Saint Maria Catholic Church
in Palu will therefore provide their coffins.
He said the three made four other final requests. First, before being buried, they want
a full-day requiem mass at Saint Maria Church so that local Catholics can mourn
them. Second, Tibo and Riwu want to be buried in Beteleme village, Mori Atas
subdistrict, Morowali regency (neighboring Poso regency), while da Silva wants to be
buried at his hometown on Flores island, East Nusa Tenggara province.
Third, the three want to be accompanied during the executions by Manado Bishop
Joseph Suwathan, Poso priests Pastor Jemmy Tumbelaka and Pastor Melky Taroreh,
and their lawyer Roy Rening. And fourth, that the mass media send Yudhoyono a final
message the three have rejected their sentences.
The men made the same final requests when their executions were scheduled for for
August 12. Tumbelaka said all three were maintaining inner strength in the face of
death.
Separately, Robert Tibo said his family had not yet received any formal notification the
executions would take place on Thursday. "Up until now the family has not yet
received the letter. I don't know whether we will receive it or not," he said.
"As far as I know, according the law, the family and the lawyer should receive a copy
of the decision three days before an execution," he said, adding his family still hopes
the executions would be canceled.
'No Additional Security Measures'
National Police spokesman Paulus Purwoko said authorities in Central Sulawesi had
not requested additional security forces in Palu in the event of any adverse public
reaction to the executions. "I already telephoned the provincial police chief and he
said that preparations were in order. The provincial prosecutor said the date would be
Thursday. But the hour and place still could not released," he said.
"The security status level will not be Alert I. The situation could be very dynamic but is
still safe now," he said. He declined to say how many firing squads would be involved
in the executions.
Purwoko defended the executions, saying a December 2001 peace agreement in
Poso stated that no group should be immune to the law.
Copyright (c) 2005 - PT Laksamana Global International. All rights reserved
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