Peace beginning to return to Poso
Peace beginning to return to Poso
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government has introduced a series of short-term programs
to restore peace and order in the strife-torn region of Poso,
Central Sulawesi, to give backing to last week's Malino peace
accord aimed at ending the prolonged conflict in the area, an
official said.
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla said on
Wednesday that the six-month programs, scheduled to commence next
month, included disarming warring locals, rehabilitating and
rebuilding destroyed homes, schools and places of worship and
remove outsiders who had entered the area during the conflicts.
He said the government and security officers had started to
publicize the contents of the government-initiated Malino
declaration, which was signed on Dec. 20.
"All the programs are focused on allowing the displaced
residents to return home in peace," Jusuf told a media briefing
after a two-hour coordination meeting on the Poso issue at his
office.
He added that several Cabinet ministers would visit the area
on Jan. 6 and 7 as the programs began.
Among those taking part in the meeting were Minister of Home
Affairs Hari Sabarno, National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar,
Minister of Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah, Minister of Health
Achmad Sujudi, Minister of National Education Abdul Malik Fajar
and Secretary of Coordinating Minister for Political and Security
Affairs Maj. Gen. Sudi Silalahi and territorial assistant to the
Indonesian Military (TNI) chief of general affairs Maj. Gen. Sang
Nyoman Suwisma.
The government has allocated Rp 100 billion (US$10 million),
which consists of Rp 4 million in the form of building materials
and Rp 1 million in cash for each local family to help them
rebuild their homes and another Rp 2 million in donations to
relatives of each of the almost 1,000 people killed in the
violence.
Two battalions of troops and three other battalions from the
police's mobile brigade have been deployed to the area.
Da'i Bachtiar said the calm that had prevailed during the
holiday season following the signing of the Malino declaration
proved that peace had been achieved in Poso.
"The people actually want to end the conflict, which has
entered its third year. The police have been deployed there to
maintain security and to uphold the law while publicizing the
peace accord," he said.
Commenting on reports that the presence of outsiders,
including members of the hardliner Jihad Force, had escalated the
conflict, Jusuf said that the law on demography allowed citizens
to travel to all parts of the country.
"Moreover the Jihad Force arrived in Poso in June 2001, or two
years after the conflict broke out in October 1998. They were
there to assist the locals and were not connected with the
violence. However, all outsiders must now return home," he added.