The Jakarta Post, April 12, 2006
Poso Three executions to go ahead
The Jakarta Post, Medan, Jakarta
Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh said Tuesday the execution of three men on
death row for their roles in religious violence in Poso, Central Sulawesi, would go
ahead despite the public outcry.
He said prosecutors could not stay the executions of Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da
Silva and Marinus Riwu because the three had been sentenced to death by a court of
law.
"I sympathize with the demonstrators (calling for a stay of execution), but I have done
much thinking about this case and I must execute the sentences. I will accept any
consequences," Abdul Rahman said in Medan, North Sumatra.
In Jakarta, Attorney General's Office spokesman Masyhudi Ridwan said preparations
for the executions were moving forward.
Tibo, Da Silva and Riwu were given death sentences for orchestrating a series of
attacks in 2000 that killed some 200 Muslims.
The three continue to deny their guilt and accuse 16 men, including military,
intelligence and government officials, of being the real masterminds of the attacks.
Religious leaders and others have called for a stay of execution for the three, pending
an investigation of the 16 men.
The Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) was the latest group to voice support for the
three, when legislators from the political party met with Vice President Jusuf Kalla on
Tuesday.
"We asked Jusuf Kalla to stay the executions because there are still 16 witnesses to
be interrogated," said Denny Tewu, secretary of the PDS faction in the House of
Representatives.
He quoted Kalla as saying the government had closed the case and there would be no
further investigations.
Meanwhile, a member of Tibo's legal defense team, S. Roy Rening, said they were
preparing to take the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague and
to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva.
However, international relations expert Bantarto Bandoro said individuals could not file
suits with the ICJ. "The ICJ does not recognize nonstate lawsuits."
Bantarto did say the UN rights body could agree to hear Tibo's case. "They can take
the case but they must have new evidence to defend Tibo," he said. (04/05).
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