CryIndonesia, June 6, 2002
Renewed Terrorism Against Christians In Poso
Ian Freestone IFC, Australia, June 6, 2002
http://cryindonesia.rnc.org.au
A bus travelling from Palu to Tentena, Central Sulawesi, with about 45 Christians on
board was bombed yesterday, killing 4. Dr Jeff Hammond, IFC Indonesia, reports that
one of the dead was a Pentecostal pastor who was sent from Palu to assist IFC in
rebuilding homes in the Poso region. Another 17 others were injured in the attack,
including a mother and child who are among those on the 'critical list'. The bomb was
planted at the back of the bus. A second bomb under a seat at the front of the bus
failed to detonate.
This attack comes just five days after the Indonesian Military began withdrawing
troops from Poso, Central Sulawesi. The military commander had been quoted in last
Friday's Jakarta Post as saying, "the pullout showed that the situation in Poso had
improved greatly." Five days has certainly changed all that!
Laskar Jihad boasts that 600 of its fighters are still active in the Poso region and
Christians now fear a repeat of the terror which led to attacks on 21 christian villages
late last year. The presence of Laskar Jihad, and their ability to arm themselves with
firearms and bombs places the "Malino Peace Agreement" in a tenuous position. This
latest attack has placed the large Christian town of Tentena on high alert.
Mona Saroinsong of the Crisis Centre in Central Sulawesi reported that Christian
leaders have "warned the police and the army in Poso to stop all public transports
from and to Palu to operate, because the mass cannot be controlled any more." There
are also concerns that younger Christians, who have been growing up in a culture of
violence for the last 4 years may strike with a revenge attack. Meanwhile Christian
leaders have appealed for calm. IFC team leader, Bernas Hasibuan said today,
"Please pray that the Lord will intervene to prevent bloodshed and that Christians will
not retaliate but instead have wisdom and their faith strengthened."
Dr Jeff Hammond, further reports that just ten days ago 2 Christians were killed in
Masane, 10 km from Poso. These were refugees coming from Tentena to harvest their
fruit trees. Both were shot and one beheaded. Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed
reports of further bomb attacks in the Poso region in the last 48 hours. These reports
are yet to be confirmed.
END OF REPORT
Email from Mona Saroinsong (5.06.02) of the Sulawesi Crisis Centre provides further
details...
Dear Sisters and Brothers, This afternoon around 03.10 pm I received a call from
Crisis Center/CC-GKST Tentena saying that the Antariksa bus driving from Palu to
Tentena was bombed, and I asked for detail information, but at that time they were
about going to the location of accident, and they just came back from there
evacuating the victims some minutes ago, and here's the latest news I received from
them at 01.20 am:
1. Two Antariksa buses driving from Palu to Tentena (will be passing Poso), and at
Toini village, around 8 km from Poso the first bus with around 45 passengers (all
Christians) exploded, and the second bus went on driving and reported to Police
Station in Poso. According to the police, there are two bombs placed in the bus, but
the one placed in the front near the driver didn't explode, only the one which placed at
the back seat, the second row from the back door. The bomb must be a big bomb,
because the it tore the right and left walls as well as the roof and the floor of the bus.
4 people died on the spot: 2 men (1 is Pentecostal pastor in Palu, 1 is from Watuauw
village, near Tentena) and 2 women (1 cannot be identified any more, because she is
already in pieces, the other 1 is again from Watuauw village), 17 are injured: 2 are in
very bad condition (1 woman and 1 boy) and had been taken to Palu hospital, 1 is
being operated in Poso hospital, the rest (14) are now in Tente! na hospital.
They don't want to be taken to Poso hospital because of the previous experience: the
Christian patience were treated very bad. According to the drivers, the passengers are
all from Palu, and only 3 got out in Pinedapa village: 1 civilian and 2 army men with
uniform. CC-GKST had to do the evacuation, because the police always very slow in
taking care of this kind of incident. This time, the BRIMOB (police special squad)
guarded the CC-GKST convoys carrying the victims to Tentena.
About the withdrawal of the troops in Central Sulawesi: almost all now have been
withdrawn, the last group will be on June 12. Now another group has come, arriving
around noon today. This group so called Perintis, from the BRIMOB Manado North
Sulawesi province. They are all together 400 men for all Poso and its surroundings.
The CC-GKST is asking the government to deploy more troops. CC-GKST has warned
the police and the army in Poso to stop all public transports from and to Palu to
operate, because the mass cannot be controlled any more. It is assumed that there
will be revenged coming towards the public transports which belong to the Moslems
(the owner of Antariksa buses is Christian). The situation in Tentena is boiling now.
The checkpoints are now functioning!! That's all I can inform you now, and again,
please keep praying for each other and spread the news to any body you can reach.
God bless you all.
Yours in Christ always,
Mona Saroinsong
Coordinator of Crisis Center SAG SULUTTENG
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