Christian delegates shun Poso peace talks<\/p>\n
La Remy and Muhammad Nafik, The Jakarta Post, Palu\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
A second round of peace talks to end the renewed violence in
\nPoso, Central Sulawesi, began on Sunday despite only a few
\nChristian figures attending the two-day meeting held in the
\nprovincial capital of Palu.<\/p>\n
The fresh talks, brokered by Coordinating Minister for
\nPeople's Welfare Jusuf Kalla, appeared futile as no influential
\nChristian leaders appeared.<\/p>\n
Their absence dealt another blow to achieving long-lasting
\npeace in the once-ravaged town, where some 2,000 people have been
\nkilled in two years of intermittent sectarian fighting.<\/p>\n
The Muslim group threatened to walk out of the meeting,
\naccusing its rival faction of disrespecting the important forum.
\nBut they later dropped the threat, arguing that the talks were
\nnot intended to make any deal.<\/p>\n
At least 25 representatives from both sides were invited to
\nthe meeting.<\/p>\n
Most Muslim delegates were present.<\/p>\n
But, only five Christian figures -- J. Santo, S. Pelima, P.
\nNelitan Alamako, Hari Kabi and D. Langgara -- showed up.<\/p>\n
Local influential priest Renaldy Damanik, who led the
\nChristian delegation in the first peace talks held in the South
\nSulawesi hill resort of Malino last December, was not seen at the
\ntightly-guarded meeting venue in the Golden Hotel.<\/p>\n
He could not be reached for comment on Sunday evening. A
\nmember of his family, named only as Era, told The Jakarta Post
\nthat Damanik was going to hospital to visit his parents in law.<\/p>\n
Langgara said his group had decided not to attend the second
\npeace talks in protest against many unexplained violations of the
\nMalino agreement signed by Muslim and Christian representatives.<\/p>\n
\"Our group has issued a statement signed by Pak Renaldy
\nDamanik calling its members not to attend the current meeting,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Langgara said his faction was disappointed over the failure of
\nlocal security authorities to solve a spate of recent attacks on
\nmainly Christian victims.<\/p>\n
Santo expressed similar grievances and wanted the meeting
\npostponed until next week as many Christian figures were busy
\ndealing with around 7,000 refugees who fled the religious
\nviolence.<\/p>\n
Amirullah Sia, secretary of a working group to disseminate the
\nMalino accord, confirmed that the Christian delegation had told
\nthe local authorities not to join the second round of peace
\ntalks.<\/p>\n
Kalla's aide, Faridz Husein, who helped facilitate the meeting
\nin Palu, said the talks would go ahead despite the absence of
\nmany Christian delegates as it would not take any decision.<\/p>\n
\"The meeting would be to evaluate the implementation of the
\nMalino Declaration,\" Faridz said.<\/p>\n
National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar was also among the
\nKalla-led government delegates who arrived in Palu on a special
\nflight on Sunday morning.<\/p>\n
Kalla, who brokered the December peace agreement, and Da'i
\nstayed briefly and flew directly on a helicopter to Tentena
\nsubdistrict and other troubled areas around Poso, where they
\ntalked separately with Christian and Muslim figures. It was not
\nclear what they discussed.<\/p>\n
Security was largely restored in Poso following the Malino
\ndeal. But the once-ravaged town recently saw a series of fresh
\nattacks blamed on armed groups of unidentified people. None of
\nthe attackers have been captured.<\/p>\n
The latest violence took place on Saturday when residents at
\ntwo villages of Tongko and Malei Lage fought each other at 4
\np.m., raising tensions there.<\/p>\n
During the violence, villagers held hostage Pvt Andi Amir, a
\npolice Mobile Brigade (Brimob) member. His whereabouts remained
\nunknown by Sunday.<\/p>\n
Deputy Poso Police chief Comr. Yusmanjaya confirmed the clash,
\nbut did not say whether there were any casualties.<\/p>\n
The fighting caused a heavy traffic jam and forced motorists
\nto avoid traveling through the riot-hit villages.<\/p>\n
Last week gunmen sprayed a bus with bullets, killing Lorenzo
\nTaddei, a 34-year old Italian tourist, and wounding four other
\npassengers, all locals.<\/p>\n
It was the fourth attack on public transport since the Malino
\npeace pact.<\/p>\n
In an effort to quell the renewed attacks that have forced a
\nnew exodus of thousands of refugees, local security authorities
\nwere deploying more reinforcement troops to Poso.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/christian-delegates-shun-poso-peace-talks-1447893297",
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