Police seize weapons in raids<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Central Sulawesi Police seized more than 500 weapons
\nincluding homemade firearms in two days of raids over the weekend
\nfollowing a bombing in the restive regency of Poso on Nov. 13
\nthat killed six people.<\/p>\n
Provincial police chief Brig. Gen. Aryanto Sutadi led over 500
\nofficers in the raids, which covered 13 villages in Donggala
\nregency, the scene of recent clashes.<\/p>\n
Aryanto said the raids would be expanded to cover other areas,
\nincluding Poso.<\/p>\n
\"The raids were shock therapy for locals. Next time we will
\narrest anyone in possession of weapons and charge them under Law
\nNo. 12\/1951 on state of emergency,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Anyone found violating the law can receive a maximum
\npunishment of death.<\/p>\n
The operation over the weekend was not without its challenges.
\nResidents of Jono-Oge and Maranatha villages protested the
\npolice's failure to show them search warrants.<\/p>\n
\"This operation is for the benefit of all of you who want to
\nsee this conflict end,\" Aryanto told villagers in Jono-Oge. \"We
\nare here to help you realize the peace you all want.\"<\/p>\n
Jono-Oge has been the site of a series of clashes over the
\nlast few years, with the latest incident occurring last month.<\/p>\n
In Maranatha village, where sectarian violence erupted earlier
\nthis year, a group of youths put up a roadblock to try and stop
\nthe raid.<\/p>\n
\"The police cannot take our machetes because we use them to
\nwork on our farms,\" one youth said.<\/p>\n
Only after Aryanto promised to replace the machetes with more
\nsuitable farming tools did the villagers remove the roadblock.<\/p>\n
The raids follow a deadly bombing on a public minivan near the
\nPasar Sentral market in Poso.<\/p>\n
Police arrested two men suspected of involvement in the
\nattack, but released them after one day due to a lack of
\nevidence.<\/p>\n
Two weeks before the bombing, Poso residents were shocked by
\nthe beheading of a village chief and the shooting death of a bus
\ndriver.<\/p>\n
Sporadic violence has plagued Poso and neighboring regencies
\nsince a peace deal was signed in December 2001 by groups involved
\nin two years of sectarian clashes in Poso.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-seize-weapons-in-raids-1447893297",
"image": ""
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