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)