Reinforcements arrive in Poso<\/p>\n
Ruslan Sangadji and Irvan NR, The Jakarta Post, Poso\/Palu<\/p>\n
Calm has been restored in the troubled regency of Poso, Central
\nSulawesi, on Wednesday after a series of shooting incidents that
\nkilled a reverend and badly injured an academic.<\/p>\n
Around 100 police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel arrived in
\nthe religiously divided area from Jakarta to help provide tight
\nsecurity there, as the late Reverend Freddy Wuisan, was buried
\npeacefully in a funeral.<\/p>\n
At the same time, local leaders met at their legislative
\ncouncil to discuss the security situation ahead of the April 5
\nlegislative election.<\/p>\n
The meeting was attended by Poso Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr.
\nAbdi Dharma Sitepu, local military commander Lt. Col. IGK Rai
\nGunawan, Situwu Maroso Operation task force chief Sr. Comr. M.
\nRum, local administration secretary Awad Al-Amri and Poso General
\nElections Commission head Yasin Mangun.<\/p>\n
Yasin said the meeting could not determine if the election
\nshould go ahead as scheduled on Monday, as the group was waiting
\nto be updated on the latest developments.<\/p>\n
Police and soldiers stationed at a security post in Tumora
\nvillage in Poso Pesisir, were continuing to examine cars
\ntraveling to and from the regency, he said.<\/p>\n
There are some 3,500 police and soldiers deployed in the Poso
\narea, which has often erupted into sporadic violence, despite the
\n2001 peace accord between Muslim and Christian leaders to end two
\nyears of fighting in 2000.<\/p>\n
\"The task of the police and soldiers there will become
\nincreasingly difficult because they will also have to secure the
\nApril 5 election,\" Central Sulawesi Police spokesman Adj. Sr.
\nComr. Agus Sugianto said in the provincial capital, Palu.<\/p>\n
Police were questioning a man of Arab descent who was arrested
\non Tuesday night for his alleged involvement in the recent
\nshootings, he said. Agus refused to name the suspect.<\/p>\n
He said the police and soldiers were searching for other
\nsuspects and had strengthened their coordination in Poso to
\nprevent more attacks.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Freddy was shot dead in the chest by gunmen. Hours
\nlater Rosia Pilongo, the 36-year old dean of the law school at
\nSintuwu Maroso University, was badly injured in a shooting
\nsustaining wounds to her head and right hand.<\/p>\n
The incidents followed another attack on Saturday that killed
\nJhon Christian Tanalida, a villager from the Kawua subdistrict.<\/p>\n
Abdi said a preliminary investigation showed Rosia was not the
\nlikely target of the gunmen, who apparently wanted to kill the
\nuniversity's rector J. Kogege.<\/p>\n
In 2002, Kogege was shot in the arm while driving his car in
\nPoso, he said.<\/p>\n
Rosia was moved from Poso General Hospital on Wednesday to the
\nChristian Hospital in Tentena for further treatment after a
\nbullet was removed from her head.<\/p>\n
\"(Rosia) has suffered serious bleeding. But we are optimistic
\nwe will be able to save her life,\" Mappicara, a doctor, said.<\/p>\n
Many lecturers and students of the university suspended
\nacademic activities on Wednesday and visited Rosia in hospital.<\/p>\n
Abdi said the renewed violence was aimed at trying to create
\ndisturbances in Poso, where peace and security had largely been
\nrestored. Disrupting the elections and revenge attacks were also
\nlikely motives.<\/p>\n
Police were still investigating, he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/reinforcements-arrive-in-poso-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }