1,500 troops pulled out of Poso<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Military (TNI) began on Friday the process of
\nwithdrawing about 1,500 troops from the once strife-torn town of
\nPoso in Central Sulawesi, five months after Muslim and Christian
\nleaders there signed a peace deal.<\/p>\n
The troops, who have been deployed in Poso for more than six
\nmonths, are from military units based in Palu, Manado and
\nGorontalo, South Sulawesi's Tadulako Military Commander Col.
\nSuwahyuhadji told Antara.<\/p>\n
Suwahyuhadji said the pullout showed that the situation in
\nPoso had improved greatly.<\/p>\n
\"The TNI would not withdraw its troops if there was no
\nguarantee from the Central Sulawesi Police chief that security in
\nPoso was really conducive,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, homemade bombs exploded in Poso on Tuesday and
\nWednesday. No casualties were reported.<\/p>\n
The blasts occurred at three separate locations in the city:
\nthe beach in front of the Hotel Wisata in Lawanga village, the
\nKayamanya central market and the Lombogia bus terminal.<\/p>\n
At least four electronics stores in the Kayamanya market were
\ndestroyed by fire as a result of the explosion.<\/p>\n
The chief of detectives with the Central Sulawesi Police, Sr.
\nComr. Tatang Somantri, confirmed the bomb blasts on Thursday,
\nadding that five unexploded bombs were discovered at the Lawanga
\nbeach.<\/p>\n
He said the bombs were equipped with timers and cables, but
\nwere not powerful.<\/p>\n
There is as yet no indication who was responsible for the
\nbombings.<\/p>\n
The warring Christian and Muslim factions in Poso signed a
\npeace accord last December in the South Sulawesi hill resort of
\nMalino, putting an end to a conflict that erupted in 2000 and
\ncost more than 2,000 lives.<\/p>\n
Suwahyuhadji said at least 146 troops from the Palu-based
\nRaksatama Unit 711 would remain in Poso, to back up the 200
\ntroops in the city's military command.<\/p>\n
The TNI will not send in replacement troops following the
\npullout of the 1,500 soldiers from Poso, he added.<\/p>\n
He said the pullout had been approved by provincial police
\nchief Brig. Gen. Zainal Abidin Ishak, who is also in charge of
\nthe Poso security restoration operation. --JP<\/p>",
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