Economic and clean-governance approaches to reconciliation in Poso
Ruslan Sangadji Palu, Central Sulawesi
Before President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono eventually decided to set up a special Task Force for Poso, there had been a long list of major unsolved crimes, bombings, corruption cases and human rights violations in conflict-torn Poso regency in Central Sulawesi. The President's decision has encouraged more people to cooperate with the police. This process has also been assisted by the fact that people are tired of the prolonged conflict that has claimed about 2,000 victims from both sides.
Muslims and Christians had tended to be reluctant to help police track down the wrongdoers as they did not believe that the police could guarantee their safety.
Both sides also were also uncooperative following the beheading of three Christian schoolgirls in Buyung Boyo. Ustadz Adnan Arsal, a prominent Muslim leader in Poso, recently handed over Andi Ipong and Muhammad Yusuf to the police for their alleged role in several incidents of violence. Adnan, however, expressed disappointment as the two suspects were transferred to Jakarta despite police assurances that they would remain in Poso.
Led by Adnan, the Muslims then demanded that the Christian side also surrender suspects to the police, and name 16 Christians suspected of killing Muslims. The demands were rejected by the Christian side.
Actually, both sides are becoming more aware that they are being used by outsiders, but the problems are abundant, including conflicts among local politicians and other members of the elite.
Both sides are now demanding more power-sharing at all levels of local government.
The economic disparity between the native Christian population (from the Mori and Pamona ethnic groups), and migrants from Bugis, Gorontalo, Java and Bali continues to widen. Migrants dominate the economy. And the disparity is so yawning that no one will be able to narrow it even over the long term. The social envy will last for a long time as a result of the central government allowing people from outside to settle in the region as part of the transmigration program.
Meanwhile, many migrants fled and abandoned their land after the conflict erupted. Indigenous people then occupied the abandoned lands even though they had no legal title to it. The government should settle this dispute as it is only a matter of time before it causes another explosion of conflict.
According to the 2004 census, the population of Poso regency is about 276,000. However, following the formation of a new regency, Tojo Una Una, and the fact that many displaced persons have not returned home, as of the end of 2004 the population was only about 176,000 people, spread out among 12 districts and 140 subdistricts. Population density is about 20 people per square kilometer. Poso city is the most populated part of the regency with 448 people per square kilometer.
The number of Muslim population is 44.99 percent of the total population while Christian 39.10 percent, and Catholic is 2.5 percent while the rest is Hindu and Buddhist.
The area is also home to people from the Bada, Bungku, Kaili, Tojo, Manado and Toraja ethnic groups.
For a while Poso seemed to be returning to normalcy. However situation here in reality is still very fragile as the roots of the problems have not been addressed.
Local leaders here, including Yusuf Lakaseng, the coordinator of the Poso Center, cited several major problems that need to be settle in short and mid terms.
The first is corruption. The government must eradicate all forms of corruption and punish those responsible for looting the local treasury. They should be tried in Jakarta to avoid local interference and provocation in Poso.
The four suspects in the embezzlement of humanitarian aid for Poso, Andi Azikin Suyuti, Ivan Sidjaya, Agus and Abdul Kadir, have been flown to Jakarta to face the court. If convicted, they should also be imprisoned in Jakarta as their return to Poso would only trigger more violence.
The President must establish an independent and inclusive fact-finding commission to comprehensively investigate the conflict. The current Task Force will not be effective as it is dominated by officers of the police and military. They tend to cover up the involvement of police and soldiers.
Not only local people but also members of the security forces have committed violent crimes in Poso. Therefore, a security operation alone will not be enough. Instead, it should be accompanied by a welfare operation. An independent agency like Aceh's Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR) could also be set up in Poso with a similar mission.
The government also needs to solicit public involvement at the grassroots level in eradicating terrorism, crime and communal conflict. In upholding order, the police need to deploy at least one police officer to each village or sub-district. The writer is a correspondent of The Jakarta Post.