Government criticized over sectarian conflict in Poso<\/p>\n
Erik W. and Damar, The Jakarta Post, Palu\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Institution for Development and Advocacy of Human Rights
\n(LPS-HAM) in Palu, Central Sulawesi, has criticized the
\ngovernment and security authorities for having no strong
\ncommitment to stop the sectarian conflict that has claimed 141
\nhuman lives over the last two months in restive Poso.<\/p>\n
Dedi Askary, director of LPS-HAM, told The Jakarta Post here
\non Tuesday that not only LPS-HAM but also many people in Poso
\nhave frequently lodged complaints to local authorities about
\nhuman rights abuses in the sectarian conflict but until last
\nminutes no actions have been taken to stop the bloodshed.<\/p>\n
\"Under such a condition, we come into a conclusion that both
\nthe local administration and security authorities are not
\ncommitted to creating peace and enforcing the law in an attempt
\nto protect local people from the bloodshed,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Besides the absence of tight measures to stop the violence, he
\nsaid, the local administration has also failed to handle more
\nthan 300,000 Poso Muslims and Christians who habve been in a poor
\nconditions in their refuge camps outside the restive regency.<\/p>\n
According to data collected by LPS-HAM, a total of 61 attacks
\nand burnings have happened between January and December, 2001 in
\nthe regency, leaving 141 dead, 90 others injured and 2.438 houses
\nburned.<\/p>\n
Besides, 27 locals have gone missing and 102 others have been
\ntortured.<\/p>\n
\"The killing, torture and abduction were allegedly committed
\nby civilians, militiamen, security personnel, party activists,
\nlegislators and hoodlums while the ones which were burned were
\nhouses, school buildings, mosques, churches, halls, vehicles and
\ncars,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Dedi said LPS-HAM also noted a number of violence in the
\nregencies of Banggai, Banggai Archipelago, Morowali, Toli-toli,
\nBuol and Palu and most of the violence were triggered by regent
\nsuccessions.<\/p>\n
He said the horizontal conflict in Poso that erupted by the
\nend of 1998 was triggered by a bickering of two youths from
\ndifferent religions and extended to sectarian conflict in line
\nwith the regency succession in 1999.<\/p>\n
\"The strange thing we have observed that security authorities
\nfailed to take tight measures when the two conflicting factions
\nattacked one another,\" he said, citing that it has been too late
\nwhen the central government intervene to stop the conflict.<\/p>\n
Asked on the local police's plan to disarm the conflicting
\nfactions, Dedi said the police should avoid a repressive approach
\nto do so because such an action would likely claimed more human
\nlives among the local people.<\/p>\n
Separately, Brig. Gen. Zainal Abidin, chief of the Central
\nSulawesi Provincial Police, conceded that security personnel had
\ndifficulties to tackle the conflict when the situation was
\namounting over the last two months.<\/p>\n
\"The number of personnel is very limited while the territory
\nwe must oversee is very large. But, now, the situation has been
\nunder control following the recent deployment of four battalions
\nof security personnel from the provincial police and local
\nmilitary to the regency,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Bagus Arinanto, a bus driver in Poso, said the traffic along
\nthe Palu-Poso highway has been safe following the deployment
\nsecurity personnel to the regency.<\/p>\n
\"We can see police and servicemen in many part of the road
\nconnecting the two towns,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Jakarta, National Police Chief Gen. Da'i
\nBachtiar said that the police would likely use force to disarm
\nall supporters of the two conflicting factions if they decline to
\nsurrender their arms voluntarily.<\/p>\n
\"Civilians have no rights to own weapons, so that they must
\nrender their weapons (to the police),\" said Da'i who asked his
\ncomments on the meeting of Poso's religious and tribal leaders in
\nMalino, South Sulawesi, on Wednesday and Thursday.<\/p>\n
According to Da'i, the current situation in Poso has been
\ngradually abating following the deployment of four battalions of
\nsecurity personnel to the regency.<\/p>\n
Citing the results of the police investigation, Da'i said the
\npolice had found alleged involvement of the people from outside
\nPoso.<\/p>\n
\"But, we're still looking into any possible interference of
\nforeign sides in the sectarian conflict,\" said Da'i.<\/p>",
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