Attacks leave Palu gripped by insecurity

Attacks leave Palu gripped by insecurity

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu

"I don't dare go home too late at night now. I used to return
after 12 midnight, but now I'm already home by 7 p.m. I'm really
worried about the terror in Palu these days," Palu resident Jemmy
Sundah told The Jakarta Post.

Jemmy is one of the hundreds of Palu residents who feels
threatened by the recent spate of terror and violent attacks in
Palu. Palu city, usually bustling with traffic at night, is very
quiet now. Residents prefer to stay indoors rather than go out on
the streets.

Terror and violent acts have not occurred in Poso alone, but
also in Central Sulawesi's capital of Palu.

Perpetrators usually commit the attacks while riding on
motorcycles without using their headlights, pulling up alongside
their victims before carrying out violent acts such as hacking
and shooting. Two girls, Yanti and Evi, who were riding pillion
on a motorcycle driven by Anca, were hacked by unidentified
persons on motorcycles on Jl. Tanjung Tururuka, Palu, last week.
Yanti, 22, died at the scene, while Evi, who was seriously
injured, was rushed to hospital. Anca escaped injury as he was
able to evade the attackers.

Police have yet to arrest the perpetrators. They have only
questioned a few suspects, including a member of the police water
and air unit, whose motorbike was found covered with blood.

The following day, Pudji Laksono, a lecturer at the
agricultural school of Palu's Tadulako University, and his wife,
Novlin Palinggi, a lecturer at the engineering school of the same
university, were shot by unidentified persons. They are still
being treated at the Undata Hospital in Palu. Again, police have
yet to arrest the perpetrators.

Some observers are of the opinion that the latest violence in
Palu was aimed at shifting the conflict from Poso. "The
terrorists' movements in Poso have been limited. I think they
have intentionally instilled the situation in Palu to divide the
authorities' attention," said director of the Central Sulawesi
office of the Center for the Development of Law and Human Rights
Studies (LPS-HAM), Syamsul Agus.

A sociologist from Tadulako University, Tahmidy Lasahido,
commented that the terror in Palu was nothing other than an
effort to create a sense of insecurity among the people. However,
he said terror acts being committed by the unknown group were
more dangerous because they did not select their victims prior to
a crime, but rather chose them at random.

Police have yet to determine the motive behind the conflict in
Poso, but it is obvious that the culprits in Palu want to create
a feeling of insecurity among the people.

"The terror motive in Palu is apparent. They want people to
feel insecure," said Brig. Gen. Oegroseno, the police chief in
Central Sulawesi province.

Oegroseno said that police were still investigating the motive
behind the terror in Poso, and that they were still interrogating
several suspects now being held at Central Sulawesi Police
headquarters.

Police have detained four suspects so far. The first suspect
in the slayings of the three female students from a Christian
senior high school, who were all found beheaded, has been
identified as Irfan Masiro, 23. Police have yet to disclose the
motive behind the slayings few weeks ago, but the suspect
admitted to his family that he was paid to carry out the crime.