The Jakarta Post, April 01, 2004
Reinforcements arrive in Poso
Ruslan Sangadji and Irvan NR, The Jakarta Post, Poso/Palu
Calm has been restored in the troubled regency of Poso, Central Sulawesi, on
Wednesday after a series of shooting incidents that killed a reverend and badly injured
an academic.
Around 100 police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel arrived in the religiously divided
area from Jakarta to help provide tight security there, as the late Reverend Freddy
Wuisan, was buried peacefully in a funeral.
At the same time, local leaders met at their legislative council to discuss the security
situation ahead of the April 5 legislative election.
The meeting was attended by Poso Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Abdi Dharma Sitepu,
local military commander Lt. Col. IGK Rai Gunawan, Situwu Maroso Operation task
force chief Sr. Comr. M. Rum, local administration secretary Awad Al-Amri and Poso
General Elections Commission head Yasin Mangun.
Yasin said the meeting could not determine if the election should go ahead as
scheduled on Monday, as the group was waiting to be updated on the latest
developments.
Police and soldiers stationed at a security post in Tumora village in Poso Pesisir,
were continuing to examine cars traveling to and from the regency, he said.
There are some 3,500 police and soldiers deployed in the Poso area, which has often
erupted into sporadic violence, despite the 2001 peace accord between Muslim and
Christian leaders to end two years of fighting in 2000.
"The task of the police and soldiers there will become increasingly difficult because
they will also have to secure the April 5 election," Central Sulawesi Police spokesman
Adj. Sr. Comr. Agus Sugianto said in the provincial capital, Palu.
Police were questioning a man of Arab descent who was arrested on Tuesday night
for his alleged involvement in the recent shootings, he said. Agus refused to name the
suspect.
He said the police and soldiers were searching for other suspects and had
strengthened their coordination in Poso to prevent more attacks.
On Tuesday, Freddy was shot dead in the chest by gunmen. Hours later Rosia
Pilongo, the 36-year old dean of the law school at Sintuwu Maroso University, was
badly injured in a shooting sustaining wounds to her head and right hand.
The incidents followed another attack on Saturday that killed Jhon Christian Tanalida,
a villager from the Kawua subdistrict.
Abdi said a preliminary investigation showed Rosia was not the likely target of the
gunmen, who apparently wanted to kill the university's rector J. Kogege.
In 2002, Kogege was shot in the arm while driving his car in Poso, he said.
Rosia was moved from Poso General Hospital on Wednesday to the Christian
Hospital in Tentena for further treatment after a bullet was removed from her head.
"(Rosia) has suffered serious bleeding. But we are optimistic we will be able to save
her life," Mappicara, a doctor, said.
Many lecturers and students of the university suspended academic activities on
Wednesday and visited Rosia in hospital.
Abdi said the renewed violence was aimed at trying to create disturbances in Poso,
where peace and security had largely been restored. Disrupting the elections and
revenge attacks were also likely motives.
Police were still investigating, he said.
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