The Jakarta Post, July 31, 2004
Police accused of wrongful arrests in church attack
Moh. Darlis, Palu
Central Sulawesi Police have been accused of arresting the wrong suspects in the
latest attack on a church in the provincial capital, Palu, which killed a clergywoman.
Police officers reportedly shot Bambang, 27, in the leg and arrested him during a raid
on a house in Moko village, North Lore district, at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
He is being detained as a suspect over the July 18 killing of Rev. Susianty Tinulele,
29, by masked gunmen who stormed the Effata Presbyterian church in Palu.
The police also named Bambang's boss, Kamal, 35, as a suspect in the same
incident but did not detain him after he was questioned on Thursday night.
Kamal, accompanied by his wife, Cahyati, and five witnesses, went to the Central
Sulawesi office of the Legal Development and Human Rights Institute (LPSHAM) on
Friday to seek legal assistance.
Speaking to journalists at the LPSHAM, Kamal said he considered Bambang a
relative, as the latter had been working for the former's PT Cipta Mori Utama for years.
According to Kamal, the police searched his house on Jl. Maleo No. 90, South Palu,
on Thursday, but did not find firearms or explosives as evidence.
Meanwhile, witness Anwar, who works with Bambang at PT Cipta Mori Utama, said
the detained suspect and other employees were sitting together at a house on Jl.
Tombolotutu, Palu, when the church attack took place.
"I wonder why he (Bambang) has been accused of involvement in the incident, while I
was with him at the time?" Anwar said.
Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Taufik Ridha declined to comment on Friday
on the wrongful arrest accusation. He appeared to avoid journalists after performing
Friday prayers at his office.
Nor did his spokesman, Adj. Sr. Comr. Victor Batara, make any comment.
LPSHAM director Syamsu Alam Agus said his organization would lodge a protest
with the provincial police for what he said was an "emotional" approach in the hunt for
suspects in the death of Susianty.
The police were "inaccurate" in making a decision, when they declared Bambang and
Kamal suspects in the attack, he said.
"Because the police were emotional in using their firearms too readily, it's hardly
surprising if local people are rather reluctant to give information on renewed attacks,"
Syamsu added.
Kamal admitted that his three children were afraid of going to school after their father
had been named a suspect in the killing of the clergywoman.
"My family is restless because I have been accused of committing the murder," he
said.
The July 18 incident was the latest in a string of attacks by unidentified people on
Christian targets in Central Sulawesi.
Officials say the attackers want to provoke a new round of Muslim-Christian battles
after as many as 2,000 people died in Poso regency between 2000 and 2001.
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