Houses torched, 1 killed as fresh rioting rocks Poso<\/p>\n
PALU, Central Sulawesi (JP): The town of Poso, some 225
\nkilometers southeast of here, was still tense on Thursday
\nfollowing fresh rioting, in which one woman was killed and a
\nnumber of houses in several Poso Pesisir district villages burned
\nto the ground.<\/p>\n
Poso Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Djasman Baso Opu confirmed
\nThursday's unrest, saying that two locals were shot during a
\nsudden attack by an unknown group of people.<\/p>\n
\"It started in the village of Sa'atu at 1 a.m.. A woman was
\nstabbed to death. Two others were shot but all survived,\" Djasman
\nsaid, declining to identify the victims.<\/p>\n
Sa'atu is one of several villages in the district of Poso
\nPesisir which has been rocked by violent clashes since late
\nTuesday, following gunfights between locals and unknown
\nattackers.<\/p>\n
Three civilians have been killed in the clashes.<\/p>\n
The attackers and villagers have mainly used hand-made rifles
\nduring confrontations.<\/p>\n
Unconfirmed reports earlier stated that four people were
\nkilled and two others seriously injured in another attack in
\nSa'atu on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Thursday's attack prompted the military to send at least 100
\nmore personnel from the 711th Battalion in Palu, in addition to
\nthree companies already in the area.<\/p>\n
Sources at the Tadulako Military Resort Command in Palu said
\nthat the military personnel deployed to Poso were authorized to
\nshoot rioters on site if persuasive steps failed.<\/p>\n
In a related development, South Sulawesi Police chief Insp.
\nGen. Firman Gani said in Makassar on Thursday that he would
\ntighten security in the areas bordering Central Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
\"This is to prevent the possible spread of rioting, especially
\nin the area of Mangkutana,\" Firman told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
According to Firman, a company of the Police's Mobile Brigade
\n(Brimob) troops had been sent to Mangkutana, some 410 kilometers
\nnorth of Makassar.<\/p>\n
Inter-religious conflicts started to unsettle Poso three years
\nago. Hundreds of people have been killed in ensuing outbreaks of
\nviolence.<\/p>\n
Residents of the riot-hit villages have been seeking refuge in
\nthe villages of neighboring provinces.<\/p>\n
\"The Brimob officers will also protect the refugees living in
\nbordering areas,\" Firman said. \"They will also provide security
\nfor ground transportation, which has reportedly been disrupted
\nduring the recent rioting.\"<\/p>\n
Firman, former chief of Maluku Police, said that he was
\nworking with the Central Sulawesi Police chief in maintaining
\nsecurity on the border.<\/p>\n
\"We are ready to help the Central Sulawesi Police whenever
\nneeded,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Military sources said that the warring parties in Poso had
\nexpressed interest in a cease-fire. \"But there is a third party
\nwhich always provokes conflict in Poso,\" they said.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, eight armed men were detained for a premeditated
\nattack on locals working at a cacao plantation in Poso's
\nBatugincu village.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the situation in the West Kalimantan capital of
\nPontianak was still uncertain on Thursday after ethnic conflicts
\nbetween Madurese migrants and locals erupted once again last
\nweek.<\/p>\n
Madurese refugees, housed in temporary settlements in the
\ncity, had been uneasy with the local Dayak's ultimatum that they,
\nthe Madurese, must be relocated outside Pontianak before July 1.<\/p>\n
West Kalimantan Police chief Brig. Gen. Nurudin Usman said
\nthat it would not be easy to meet the Dayaks' demand, citing
\ntechnical matters as the main constraints.<\/p>\n
He called on the locals to be more patient. \"Clashes will
\ndestroy the city within just one day. Please be more patient,\" he
\nwas quoted by Antara as saying.<\/p>\n
He blamed irresponsible people for provoking riots in
\nPontianak. \"We will not condone any provocation,\" Nurudin warned.
\n(24\/27\/sur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/houses-torched-1-killed-as-fresh-rioting-rocks-poso-1447893297",
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