Military to take tough actions against rioters in Poso

Badri Jawara, The Jakarta Post, Poso

The military has vowed to take resolute action against those involved in or instigating riots in the regency of Poso, the chief of the Tadulako Military Command, which oversees the regency of Poso, Central Sulawesi, has warned.

Col. Suwahyuhadji said here on Wednesday that the military would not hesitate to take tough action against rioters. "We mean it."

"We want all the battling groups to stop attacking each other, or we will take aggressive action to stop them," he said.

"Don't force the military to do that. So, please listen to our appeal seriously," he said, referring to the Muslim and Christian groups who have recently been involved once again in deadly clashes.

Suwahyuhadji, who was accompanied by the chief of the Palu Military Police, Maj. Wempi Hapan, also urged the two warring camps to consider that more victims had fallen and would continue to fall if the violence was not halted.

"I am very surprised. They keep fighting even in the presence of military and police personnel. What would they do if we were not here?" he asked rhetorically, adding that some 200 additional Army personnel would be deployed to Poso soon.

A fresh gun battle erupted recently in the town of Poso, with two civilians reported killed and several others wounded.

The gun battle, which first broke out on Sunday evening, continued through to Monday and spread to the neighboring subdistrict of Tegalrejo.

At the height of the battle, two groups of Christians and Muslims were seen facing each other over a distance of 300 meters. They were armed with homemade rifles, bows and arrows, and many other traditional weapons. The battle stopped after some 100 Army personnel arrived.

It was the third gunfight in Poso over the past week.

The first took place on Nov. 7 in the subdistricts of Kayamanya and Sayo. No fatalities were reported.

The second erupted two days later in Gebangrejo subdistrict and left one person dead and four others injured.

Poso has been rocked by sectarian clashes between Christians and Muslims for the last two years, and hundreds have been reportedly killed. The government to date seems to be unable to find a solution to the violence.

As of Wednesday, Poso was quiet but tense. Many shops and the central (traditional) market had reopened. Some offices had also reopened, but most civil servants preferred to stay at home. Local transportation vehicles were still restricting their operations