BBC World News, June 11, 2002
sources: Suara Pembaruan web site, Jakarta, in Indonesian 10 Jun 02 Analisa web
site, Medan, in Indonesian 11 Jun 02 Republika web site, Jakarta, in Indonesian 10
Jun 02
Indonesia: Increased tension in Poso following 9 June murder
Indonesian media sources on 10-11 June reported heightened tension in Central
Sulawesi following the murder of a Christian man in Poso district on 9 June.
Attack in Poso Kota
Jakarta-based Christian daily Suara Pembaruan (10 Jun) reported from Palu, the
provincial capital, that Risman Pontali (48) of Kayamanya, Poso Kota, Poso, went to
tend plantations with his son and brother at dawn on Sunday (9 Jun) morning.
According to Risman's son Farit (22), three men wearing ninja masks attacked them.
The three farmers scattered, and Risman's body with multiple stab wounds was found
in the dry riverbed in Kayamanya later that morning.
Suara Pembaruan reported that the body was taken to the Poso general hospital and
later picked up by Pastor Renaldy Damanik for transport back to the Christian town of
Tentena for burial.
The report added that some Christians who had returned to Kayamanya in the last six
months fled back to Tentena on 9 June.
The Laskar Jihad version of the murder published on the group's web site on 10 June
confirms the above but adds the detail that Risman was almost decapitated, and that
as a Christian living in a Muslim area, he was "hated" by other Christians. The report
by Hen Parwoto quotes Rahmat, the dead man's brother-in-law, as saying, "He
actually wanted to learn about Islam but wasn't quite ready."
The report adds, "Suspicions are growing that Risman, a Christian, was deliberately
killed in the midst of the Muslim community in order to justify a possible revenge
attack. It is also a warning to other Christians not to live within Muslim communities
because of fears they will embrace Islam."
According to the report, Poso Kota sub-district head Rizal, local police chief Inspector
Yusril and military commander Lt Agus Salim visited the murder scene and the
victim's family in Kayamanya, 9 June, where they advised the family to have the body
buried locally. "We gave the family this advice to avoid later negative assumptions,"
the sub-district head said.
"On behalf of the government, we are simply giving the best advice possible for the
sake of common security. Because if the victim is buried in Tentena, people who don't
know all the details about what happened here will definitely be easily influenced,"
Rizal said.
Troop movements
An Antara report published by Medan-based daily Analisa on 11 June stated that four
joint TNI/Brimob companies will be deployed to the Poso region by the end of June.
Commander of the Sintuwu Maroso (Poso region) Security Restoration Operation
Command Senior Commissioner Sukirno said that that the troops were from the
South Sulawesi provincial police and the Makassar-based VII/Wirabuana Military Area
Command.
"I don't know exactly how long these troops will be stationed in Poso, but obviously
their arrival is to anticipate provocation from those who don't want to see Poso
peaceful and secure," Sukirno said from Poso, 10 June.
"Obviously following the withdrawal of 1,500 TNI personnel, since 1 June 2002 1,800
personnel remain in Poso, that's 1,400 police and 400 TNI," he said.
Sukirno said that land transport in Poso was flowing despite the bus blast on 5 June,
and that relations between Christians and Muslims had improved. "This picture of
improved relations can clearly be seen in the day-to-day lives of residents of Tentena
and on the other hand in the town of Poso, relations between Muslims and Christians
have started to be harmonious, even though they are still suspicious of each other's
actions," he said.
According to a separate Antara item published by Jakarta-based daily Republika on
10 June, most bus companies operating the Palu-Makassar route had stopped using
the eastern Trans-Sulawesi road through Poso, the scene of the 5 June bus blast,
since 6 June.
Another Antara report carried by Republika on 10 June contained a telephone
interview with "charismatic youth leader" Poso Muslim leader and signatory to the
Malino accord Habib Saleh Al-Habsyi, in which he called for the perpetrators of recent
violence to be arrested immediately.
"This problem must be solved immediately so it doesn't disrupt the peaceful situation
in Poso, which had started to improve since the signing of the Malino peace
declaration at the end of last year," Al-Habsyi said.
He said that the acts of violence following the withdrawal of 711, 712 and 713
Battalions from Poso was provocation aimed at recreating the unrest in Poso.
region have started to live together and forget the violence that occurred in the past,
the old trauma could return and spur on renewed mass violence if the perpetrators of
these acts are not arrested right now," Al-Habsyi warned.
He urged the government to improve the execution of physical and social rehabilitation
and reconstruction projects in order to increase the confidence of the local peoples in
their own future. He also called on all religious figures, both national and local, to go
to Poso personally and enhance the understanding of their religious communities so
they would no longer be easily provoked to violence.
© BBC
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