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.