Police arrest troublemakers near Palu

JAKARTA (JP): Local police in Central Sulawesi have arrested seven people for allegedly attempting to disrupt the closing ceremony of the 19th National Koran Reading competition in Donggala, near the provincial capital Palu.

The suspects were identified only as Ar, Yan, Arl, Fai, SR, Ry, and MS, most of them residents of Poso, where weeks of sectarian riots have claimed at least 120 lives.

Antara reported that the police searched the crowds at the ceremony in JabalNur subdistrict, Donggala, following reports that a group of people were hurling stones at the crowd attending the event on Thursday night. The contest was closed by Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Police confiscated several traditional swords and bows and arrows from the arrested men.

Chief of Donggala Police Col. Sudargo said on Friday the suspects were still being questioned.

While appealing to local residents to exercise restraint, Sudargo said he had ordered a thorough investigation of the incident to see if there were any political motives behind it.

"I hope everybody responds to the incident cautiously and doesn't listen to rumors from people who wish to extend the sectarian riots now raging in Poso," Sudargo said.

Over the past two weeks, police in Palu have foiled several attempts to smuggle weapons and munitions into the province by air.

In Makassar, Wirabuana Military Commander Maj. Gen. Slamet Kirbiantoro said security personnel were ready to stop rioters wishing to add to the troubles in Poso, some 240 kilometers southeast of the provincial capital of Palu.

"We've already heard that certain religious groups from Palu will invade the remote town a few days after the closing of the Koran competition. Even though it is only a rumor, we have anticipated it and raised the security alert level to the highest," he said.

In the past couple of weeks, hundreds of weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunitions have been seized from the warring camps.

Slamet said at least 120 people had been killed and hundreds others injured in the clashes between Christians and Muslims, which have came on the heels of similar sectarian conflict in Maluku.

Around 5,000 people have sought refuge in makeshift camps in neighboring areas, government offices and military and police headquarters, he said.

No less than 6,000 other refugees have streamed into Palu.

Slamet said that troops in the area, totaling 1,500 personnel, had also been tasked to help reconstruct the strife-torn areas.

"Sporadic conflicts are still taking place here and there but the security forces are maintaining their firm actions. The shoot-on-sight order is still effective," he said.

Meanwhile, non-Muslim residents in Makassar have been prevented from going about their daily activities as students are continuing to stop people and check their identification cards.

"We fear that the students may hold us hostage and harass us. We're better staying at home," said Julius, 23, from Flores, East Nusa Tenggara.

The students reportedly conducted stop-and-search operations in front of the Indonesian Muslim University campus on Jl. Urip Sumohardjo, and Muhammadiyah University and IAIN Alauddin campuses on Jl. Allaudin.

Even Muslim locals expressed anger at the student's actions.

"Those students are very rude. They yelled and knocked on our car windows," Mina, a housewife who was among those who had her ID checked, said.

KH Abdul Djalil Tahir, a famous local Muslim leader who runs the Bombara Islamic boarding school, said the students did not represent Muslim community in the city. He also urged security authorities to take measures against them. (27/edt)