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.