Palu villagers seek refuge after clash

Palu villagers seek refuge after clash

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post/Palu

The deadly clash between the police and followers of sect leader
Madi almost two weeks ago, and the ensuing hunt for him, have
caused hundreds of people to seek refuge in the Central Sulawesi
capital of Palu.

The people came down from Salena village in the Gawalise
hills, where Madi had spread his teachings, and the neighboring
villages of Lekatu. Most are women and children, who have been
separated from their husbands and fathers following the clash,
which left three police officers and a Madi follower dead.

The villagers have been staying in the offices of the Palu
Public Housing Agency under police guard.

The hill, locally known as Kamalisi, is located less than 11
kilometers away from Palu. But because Salena lies at the base of
the hilly area of Gawalise, the village is a bit isolated. It
lacks public services, including health and education facilities.

There are around 20 small timber houses in the village.

Due to the isolation, the local administration has tried to
move the Salena people to a resettlement area.

Edmon Leonard, a member of the Salena advocacy team, said the
people had been asked to abandon their village, sometimes by use
of force.

He said the residents, mostly farmers, had not only been
facing intimidation, but their access to natural resources had
been denied. Some of them have indeed moved to Palu to work as
becak (pedicab) drivers or to sell honey, orchids or song birds.

"It is sad that many villages in Kamalisi are still isolated
although the place is located not far from Palu," said Edmon,
whose group is providing legal aid for Salena people who have
been named suspects by the police following the clash last month.

Madi followers and police officers clashed on Oct. 25 after
the 27-year-old sect leader refused to go to the police station
for questioning over his religious teachings, which the police
said had disturbed the community.

The local office of the Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI) has
declared Madi's teachings heresy.

Director of the Free Land Foundation (YTM) in Palu Arianto
Sangadji said no institution had the right to say Madi's
teachings were contrary to Islamic beliefs.

Madi remains at large, although police claim to have shot him
in the leg. One platoon of Central Sulawesi Police officers
has been deployed to hunt down Madi, while another platoon has
been assigned to guard the isolated village.