Government criticized over sectarian conflict in Poso

Government criticized over sectarian conflict in Poso

Erik W. and Damar, The Jakarta Post, Palu/Jakarta

The Institution for Development and Advocacy of Human Rights
(LPS-HAM) in Palu, Central Sulawesi, has criticized the
government and security authorities for having no strong
commitment to stop the sectarian conflict that has claimed 141
human lives over the last two months in restive Poso.

Dedi Askary, director of LPS-HAM, told The Jakarta Post here
on Tuesday that not only LPS-HAM but also many people in Poso
have frequently lodged complaints to local authorities about
human rights abuses in the sectarian conflict but until last
minutes no actions have been taken to stop the bloodshed.

"Under such a condition, we come into a conclusion that both
the local administration and security authorities are not
committed to creating peace and enforcing the law in an attempt
to protect local people from the bloodshed," he said.

Besides the absence of tight measures to stop the violence, he
said, the local administration has also failed to handle more
than 300,000 Poso Muslims and Christians who habve been in a poor
conditions in their refuge camps outside the restive regency.

According to data collected by LPS-HAM, a total of 61 attacks
and burnings have happened between January and December, 2001 in
the regency, leaving 141 dead, 90 others injured and 2.438 houses
burned.

Besides, 27 locals have gone missing and 102 others have been
tortured.

"The killing, torture and abduction were allegedly committed
by civilians, militiamen, security personnel, party activists,
legislators and hoodlums while the ones which were burned were
houses, school buildings, mosques, churches, halls, vehicles and
cars," he said.

Dedi said LPS-HAM also noted a number of violence in the
regencies of Banggai, Banggai Archipelago, Morowali, Toli-toli,
Buol and Palu and most of the violence were triggered by regent
successions.

He said the horizontal conflict in Poso that erupted by the
end of 1998 was triggered by a bickering of two youths from
different religions and extended to sectarian conflict in line
with the regency succession in 1999.

"The strange thing we have observed that security authorities
failed to take tight measures when the two conflicting factions
attacked one another," he said, citing that it has been too late
when the central government intervene to stop the conflict.

Asked on the local police's plan to disarm the conflicting
factions, Dedi said the police should avoid a repressive approach
to do so because such an action would likely claimed more human
lives among the local people.

Separately, Brig. Gen. Zainal Abidin, chief of the Central
Sulawesi Provincial Police, conceded that security personnel had
difficulties to tackle the conflict when the situation was
amounting over the last two months.

"The number of personnel is very limited while the territory
we must oversee is very large. But, now, the situation has been
under control following the recent deployment of four battalions
of security personnel from the provincial police and local
military to the regency," he said.

Bagus Arinanto, a bus driver in Poso, said the traffic along
the Palu-Poso highway has been safe following the deployment
security personnel to the regency.

"We can see police and servicemen in many part of the road
connecting the two towns," he said.

Meanwhile, in Jakarta, National Police Chief Gen. Da'i
Bachtiar said that the police would likely use force to disarm
all supporters of the two conflicting factions if they decline to
surrender their arms voluntarily.

"Civilians have no rights to own weapons, so that they must
render their weapons (to the police)," said Da'i who asked his
comments on the meeting of Poso's religious and tribal leaders in
Malino, South Sulawesi, on Wednesday and Thursday.

According to Da'i, the current situation in Poso has been
gradually abating following the deployment of four battalions of
security personnel to the regency.

Citing the results of the police investigation, Da'i said the
police had found alleged involvement of the people from outside
Poso.

"But, we're still looking into any possible interference of
foreign sides in the sectarian conflict," said Da'i.