Poso rioters got supply of guns

Poso rioters got supply of guns

PALU, Central Sulawesi (JP): A witness testifying in the trial
of three men charged with fomenting the sectarian clashes in the
district of Poso that claimed at least 300 lives on May 23, 2000
told the court here on Monday that guns had been illegally
supplied to one of the warring groups.

The witness, identified only as Anton, told the Palu District
Court, presided over by Soedarmo, that he was a Muslim who
slipped into a Christian group to join military style training in
the village of Kelei, in the district of Pamona Utara, Poso
regency.

Anton said he was among 700 people undertaking the 42 days of
training, including self-defense and the use of the M-16 rifle
and another long rifle bearing a "made in Philippina" mark.

"During the training, a helicopter and a small plane dropped
guns three times," Anton said, adding that he saw no markings on
the helicopter or the plane.

"When I asked a man who was in charge of collecting the guns,
he said that the guns were from Manado (the capital of North
Sulawesi province)," Anton said, adding that he had changed his
name to Firdaus, a Christian name, during the training.

Anton was one of three people testifying at the trial of
Dominggus Dan Silva, Fabinus Tibo and Marinus Riwu, who are
accused of instigating and orchestrating the May 23 mayhem in
Tentena. "I saw the three defendants in the training camp."

At dawn on May 23, hours before the attack started, Anton
escaped and hid in a forest until he could report to police.

When asked by the judge, defendant Tibo said he knew nothing
about the gun supply.

Another witness, Siti Munarah, whose husband and uncle were
slain by the residents of Sintuvu Lembah, said, "I, along with
some 100 people, fled into the forest before being captured by
members of the rival group."

"On the third day of our detention, each of us was taken to a
room and ordered to strip. One of the people instructing us to
strip was defendant Dominggus. He had long hair at that time,"
Siti said.

She said she also saw Marinus Riwu watching the detainees.

The third witness (police) First. Brig. Hopni Saribu said he
witnessed the clash between the Christian and Muslim groups on
May 23. "I saw Dominggus with a sword in his hand. But he didn't
attack anybody."

After the hearing was adjourned until Feb. 5, the situation
almost got out of hand when some 3,000 visitors tried to attack
the vehicles taking the defendants from the courthouse.

Police had to fire warning shots to stop the angry crowd.
(24/sur)