Sectarian strife continues in troubled-torn Poso
Sectarian strife continues in troubled-torn Poso
POSO, Central Sulawesi (JP): Sectarian clashes in Poso
continued on Friday when fresh gunfights between armed people in
separate incidents claimed one life.
Gunfights involving residents of Mapane, Satu and Pinedapa
villages in the Pesisir Poso district took place at about 7 p.m.
on Friday, killing one person.
Dozens of residents' houses were torched in the clamor.
The first gunfight early on Friday was between Christians from
Lembomawo village and Muslims from the village of Gebangrejo.
No fatalities were reported in the first clash, but some
people were slightly injured.
Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Zainal Abidin Ishak
confirmed the clashes. "The clashes erupting on Friday were just
the continuation of a series of earlier conflicts. Both the
warring groups still bore grudges," he said, after installing his
deputy.
"We saw smoke billowing at the clash sites," said spokesman
Adj. Sr. Comr. Agus Sugianto, who accompanied Ishak.
Ishak said that police and Army troops had been working hard
to try and curb the clashes.
"We've combed many fragile areas and have conducted search
operations among the residents," he said, acknowledging that the
Makassar - Poso route was still closed for security reasons.
"I have issued shoot-on-sight orders to deal with anyone
provoking a riot in Poso," Ishak said.
On Thursday, Police Mobile Brigade troops shot dead five
people who attacked them in the village of Toyado.
The lingering situation has prompted legislators and the
warring groups to criticize the regency and provincial
administrations.
Legislators had earlier demanded that Poso Regent Muin Pusadan
and Central Sulawesi Governor Aminuddin Ponulele resign for
failing to curb the violence.
The legislators suggested that a state of civil emergency be
declared in the regency as the warring groups had failed to
respect the peace deals they had made.
A local Christian, Rev. Renaldy Damanik said that the
government had been too lax in dealing with the violence.
Meanwhile, Muslims and Christians have been blaming each other
for allowing the situation to deteriorate.
By Friday the situation in Poso was still not fully under
control, but it was better than it had been two days before.
(24/sur)