State of emergency in Poso to be studied further
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government has not decided whether or not to impose a state of emergency in Poso, Central Sulawesi, following fresh sectarian clashes in the region over the past few weeks, as security authorities say such a move still needs further consideration.
The Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Adm. Widodo A.S. said on Monday that the TNI were concerned about potential conflict in the region, but the implementation of a state of emergency should be discussed further.
"The TNI always conducts various steps in anticipation of a situation that may develop. But to impose a state of emergency we have to consider many aspects," Widodo said after meeting Vice President Hamzah Haz on the planned inauguration of 875 fresh TNI graduate officers.
The government has been urged to impose a state of emergency in the area after rising tensions believed to be caused by the arrival of members of Islamic hard-liner group Laskar Jihad in the conflict area over the past weeks.
Several government officials have visited the area recently, which has experienced sectarian clashes since 1998, resulting in the deaths of thousands of local people.
The government is scheduled to hold a meeting to decide on the imposition of a state of emergency in the coming days.
Earlier, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said that there was no urgent need to impose the state of emergency status in the area as conditions were improving, especially after the deployment of extra troops from the TNI and police.
On Monday, Widodo said that conflict in the area could further escalate and there were interests from certain sides to further prolong the conflict.
"However, TNI is trying to prevent violence from breaking out again in the area," he said.
The arrival of more than 2,000 extra troops has helped stop the killings in Poso where at least 15 people have died in recent Muslim-Christian clashes, officials said on Monday.
"The TNI and police have been stationed in all areas around Poso, not only in the town and the villages that were attacked but also at places where it's been quiet," Poso Deputy Mayor Abdul Malik Syahadat told Reuters.