Four killed as violence returns to Poso regency

Four killed as violence returns to Poso regency

Erik W., The Jakarta Post, Poso, Central Sulawesi

Four people were killed over the weekend in troubled Poso
regency, Central Sulawesi, but the police insisted on Sunday that
the killings were purely criminal acts that had nothing to do
with the long-running sectarian conflict in the province.

A farmer, Agustinus Baco, 57, was shot dead by an unknown
group of people on Wednesday, while on Thursday, local residents
found the body of Melkianus, 20, at Kawende village, near the
Poso coast.

Two other men, Tony Sango and Otter, died of severe injuries
on Thursday after being attacked by an unknown group of people at
a chemical store on Jalan Pulau Timor. The two died of serious
injuries caused by gunshots and sharp weapons.

Tony, an employee of the local health office, died after a
bullet struck him on the head as he was about to mount his
motorcycle.

"A man came up to Tony and shot him in the head. Otter, who
was Tony's friend, tried to defend himself, but unfortunately,
the attackers shot him four times and killed him," a witness
said.

The killing of the four men over the past few days triggered
anger among the residents of Ranonuncu village where the victims
lived.

Local public figure S. Pelima said that the deaths of the four
showed that the situation in the regency had not returned to
normal. "I see that the security forces are not serious about
this," he added.

Separately, Adj. Sr. Comr. Agus Sugianto, spokesman for the
Central Sulawesi Police, denied allegations that police were not
serious in resolving the shootings, saying that they were still
hunting for the perpetrators.

Sugianto further asserted that the recent killings were
criminal acts and urged local people not to be provoked by the
incidents.

"We have already questioned some witnesses about the killings,
but have yet to arrest the people believed to be responsible for
the murders due to a lack of evidence," Sugianto said.

Earlier on Wednesday, security officers decided to extend the
Sintuwu Maroso operation, which is aimed at restoring peace and
security in Poso regency until June, 2003, due to, among other
reasons, mounting demands from locals that the operation be
maintained.

According to the operation's commander, Sr. Comr. Imam
Sudjarwo, the operation, which involved 3,500 personnel from the
national police and the Indonesian Military (TNI), was expected
to help the local government to resettle refugees, who "have yet
to get their new homes."

The operation, which started in August this year, was
initially planned to end on Dec. 31.

Currently, there are some 28,263 refugee families that have
yet to be resettled.

"Within the past two months, our records show that we managed
to reduce the number of criminal acts. In September, our data
showed that some 25 criminal acts took place in the regency,
compared to October when only 19 criminal acts occurred here,"
Imam told reporters after holding a meeting to evaluate the
security situation in Poso following the outbreak of renewed
sectarian conflict there last year.

Also present at the meeting were, among others, Central
Sulawesi Governor Aminuddin Ponulele, Tadulako Military Commander
Col. Suwahyuhadji and Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen.
Taufik Ridha.

"We (the security officers) have also been able to reduce the
number of bombs here to only one in October from three in
September. Generally, the number of criminal cases here have been
reduced by 40 percent over the last two months," Imam further
said.

"School activities have also returned to normal, and many
people can pursue their religious activities without any fear,"
Imam said.

Imam, nevertheless, refused to speculate on whether the more
conducive situation was due to the departure of Laskar Jihad -- a
hard-line group that recently suspended its activities following
the Bali bomb blast on Oct. 12.

Led by Ayip Safruddin, 450 of the Solo-based Laskar Jihad
militiamen came to the regency in October last year. Many
believed that their arrival only served to fuel the clashes in
Poso.