No mercy from Susilo for three Poso murderers

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono refused to grant clemency to three men sentenced to death for inciting communal violence in the Central Sulawesi town of Poso in 2000.

Fabianus Tibo, 60, Dominggus da Silva, 42, and Don Marinus Riwu, 48, now face execution by firing squad, State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Thursday.

"The President did not believe there was any compelling reason to approve the requests (for clemency)," Yusril said.

Susilo signed the document on Wednesday and sent copies to the Supreme Court and the Attorney General's Office, Yusril said.

The state secretary said it was now the responsibility of the Attorney General's Office to carry out the execution of the three convicts.

But Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh said on Thursday he had not received a copy of the presidential order.

Under Indonesian law, executions are carried out by firing squad. A firing squad is composed of 12 police officers, six of whom fire live bullets.

A 49-year-old woman, Astini, was the last person to be executed in the country, on March 21 in Surabaya. Last year an Indian national and two Thais convicted of smuggling heroin were executed in Medan.

In April 2001, the Palu District Court sentenced Tibo, da Silva and Riwu, all Christians, to death for inciting clashes between Christians and Muslims in Poso, which left some 1,000 people dead.

The court ruled that Tibo, da Silva and Riwu were responsible for a series of murders between May 23 and June 30, 2000.

The death sentences were upheld by the Central Sulawesi High Court in May 2001 and the Supreme Court in November 2001.

All three were arrested in April 2000 when they descended on Poso after a handful of students trapped in a Catholic dormitory claimed they had been threatened by Muslim groups.

The three, who described themselves as Christian youth leaders, marched into town with dozens of armed followers, known as Bat Paramilitary Troops.

The ensuing violence left a number of Muslims and Christians dead, with decapitated and limbless bodies found in wells, swamps and houses.

This violent incident led to a new chapter of violence in Poso, following the conflict that raged in the town between 1998 and 1999.

Although Muslim groups were involved in the clashes and killings, no Muslims have been charged in a court of law.

A peace agreement was reached by the two sides in December 2001, following a series of talks facilitated by then chief welfare minister and current Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Sporadic acts of violence have continued in Poso but the peace deal has largely succeeded in reducing the violence. A bombing in Tentena market killed 21 people in May, and then the small town was shocked by the decapitation of three Christian schoolgirls on Oct. 29 and the shooting of two other girls this Tuesday.

The government believes the renewed violence is aimed at reigniting the communal violence of 2000.