Muslim wants Poso execution delayed
Muslim wants Poso execution delayed
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A Muslim leader has joined the chorus of voices calling for a
delay in the execution of three people convicted for their roles
in killings in Poso, to give the authorities more time to
investigate the possible involvement of others in the killings.
Nawawi S. Kilat, a Muslim leader in Poso who was one of the
signatories of a peace deal that ended two years of sectarian
conflict in the Central Sulawesi town in December 2001, said the
delay was necessary to allow the police to investigate the
possible involvement of 16 other people in the killings.
He said if Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva and Marinus Riwu
were executed as scheduled around Christmas, the three would be
unable to share with the police any information they might have
on the 16 people, who are still at large.
"Tibo has given up the names of 16 people involved in the mass
murders. People facing imminent death like he is usually do not
lie. Therefore, the police should follow up on the information
and conduct an investigation as soon as possible," local daily
Radar Sulteng quoted Nawawi as saying on Monday.
Tibo has been cooperative with investigators, Nawawi said, so
the execution should be delayed for the sake of justice.
Nawawi said he believed the three death row inmates were not
the masterminds of the murders, but took orders from others.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono recently denied clemency
for Tibo, Da Silva and Riwu, which was their last hope for
escaping execution after the Supreme Court upheld their death
penalties.
Palu Police chief Brig. Gen. Oegroseno said he had received a
letter from the provincial prosecutor's office asking him to
prepare a firing squad to carry out the executions.
Josef Suwatan, the archbishop of Manado, who oversees the
North Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi and Gorontalo dioceses, said
Tibo had provided authorities with valuable information.
"Tibo is a simple person who had been resettled from his place
of origin. He did not even know how to read thus it would be
impossible for him to mastermind the Poso conflict. He does not
deserve such a heavy sentence," Josef said.
He said the investigation into the 16 other suspects should be
completed, so the court would have a full account of what
happened and who perpetrated the murders.
Over 1,000 people were killed in violence between Muslims and
Christians in Poso between 2000 and 2001. A peace deal was signed
in the South Sulawesi town of Malino in December 2001, following
talks facilitated by then coordinating minister for people's
welfare Jusuf Kalla.