Special troops withdrawn from Poso

Palu, Central Sulawesi: Central Sulawesi Military Commander Col. Suwahyuhadji said on Tuesday that some 12 personnel of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus), who had been deployed in conflict-torn Poso regency, would be withdrawn in January 2003.

He said the decision to withdraw the troops was made in observance of the more stable security condition in the area.

"They have completed their tasks. It can be seen from the improving security in Poso," Suwahyuhadji said.

The presence of the Kopassus troops prompted controversy between the Military and Police as they operated in the area beyond the supervision of the Central Sulawesi Police.

The Institute for the Study and Advocacy of Human Rights (LPS- HAM) reported that 34 people had been killed and three others had gone missing in Poso in 2002. Most of them were civilians.

"What concerns us so much is that 36 percent of the murdered victims were shot in the head. Also, there is strong indication that the perpetrators are trained people," said Dedy Askari, chairman of the institute. --Antara