Joint security team find bullets on cacao plantation

Joint security team find bullets on cacao plantation

Ruslan Sangadji
The Jakarta Post
Palu, Central Sulawesi

A joint police and military team found 47 rounds of ammunition on
Wednesday hidden on a cacao plantation in Tojo Una-Una regency, a
day after the team uncovered 27 bombs and several guns on a
plantation in the neighboring regency of Poso.

The bullets reportedly came from the Army's weapons
manufacturer, PT Pusat Industri Angkatan Darat (PT Pindad).

The two discoveries indicate that there are still many
civilians in possession of firearms, bullets and bombs in Poso,
which has experienced four years of Muslim and Christian
violence, said team spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Agil Assegaf.

"In order to find more firearms and bombs, the police and
military will intensify our sweeps of those places these items
are allegedly being stored," he said.

The team is questioning the owner of the plantation in Tojo
subdistrict, Tojo Una-Una regency, where the bullets were
discovered on Wednesday.

Agil said the police and military were carrying out the
weapons sweeps as part of the security operation Sintuwu Maroso
2004, which began in early January.

He said the joint operation would focus on several districts
where much of the violence of the past several years was
centered, including Poso Pesisir, Poso Kota, Pamona Utara and
Ampana districts.

Security authorities in Poso regency suspect that Ampana had
become the base for groups organizing attacks in Poso. Most of
the perpetrators of an attack on Beteleme village last year came
from the district.

"Ninety percent of the perpetrators of the attack were from
Ampana," Agil said.

Three people were killed and 35 houses burned down in the
Beteleme attack last October.

Discussing the 27 bombs found on Tuesday, Agil said they had
been destroyed.

Despite the discoveries of the weapons, the situation in Poso
remained calm on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, charismatic Muslim cleric Yahya Al Amri urged
residents to help the police and military find more bombs and
guns, in order to prevent future attacks.

Peace in Poso is in the hands of local residents, the cleric
said. He said Poso would enjoy peace if residents were willing to
put an end to their enmity and to inform security personnel about
those responsible for the violence.

"If there is no help from local residents, I believe that
thousands of peace agreements will be useless and will only be a
waste of money."