The Jakarta Post, February 26, 2007
Poso surrenders to Army seen as 'face-saving'
Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The two alleged Poso militants who surrendered to the Army's special forces last
week did so to "save face" and avoid being tortured, says a criminologist.
Agus Jenggot and Riza, alia Icang, wanted for their involvement in sectarian violence
in Poso, Central Sulawesi, surrendered last Thursday to Kopassus, the Army's elite
special forces unit, instead of the police, who had placed them on a wanted list.
"The people on the wanted list might prefer to surrender to other bodies rather than
the police. One reason is that the militants in Poso have always been the opposing
force to the police," criminologist Adrianus Meliala told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
He said that their fear of being tortured by the police was also a manifestation of their
concern at losing face.
National Police chief Gen. Sutanto had earlier said that those on the wanted list would
be treated well and that the surrender of the two men meant that they had realized
that what they had done was wrong.
Contacted separately, National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Bambang Kuncoko said
that the two militants had been handed over to the Central Sulawesi Police for legal
processing on Friday.
"It doesn't matter who the fugitives surrender to as long as they can comply with the
law," Bambang said.
"There is no rivalry between the institutions as the objective is clear. It's much better
for the wanted men to have goodwill and give in rather than disobeying the law," he
said.
Relations between the police and military have been good, the police say. The
Indonesian Military's involvement in the area was requested by the Central Sulawesi
Police chief and approved by the National Police.
Bambang said that Kopassus had handed the two men over to the police because
only the police could send them to trial.
There are still 12 people on the list who have not surrendered or been caught.
"Let's not see the people on the wanted list as enemies. We will only send them to
court and let the court decide," Bambang said.
Agus and Riza were wanted for their involvement in the beheadings of three female
high school students in Poso in 2005.
The police previously arrested another militant wanted in connection to the crime,
Basri, in January. After he was detained, they invited the media to meet him in
Jakarta for a press conference, a move meant to encourage others on the wanted list
to surrender.
Last week, the Central Jakarta district court sentenced two accomplices of Poso
terrorist Hasanuddin, Lilik Purnomo and Irwanto Irano, to 20 years in prison for
committing terrorist acts.
A militant group headed by Hasanuddin is accused of masterminding the beheadings
of the three female students. Hasanuddin was convicted of the crime in February last
year and sentenced to 20 years' prison.
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