Tension grips Poso after murder

Tension grips Poso after murder

Irvan NR, Poso

Tension returned to the restive regency of Poso, Central Sulawesi
province, on Sunday, following a bomb explosion and two separate
murders on Friday and Saturday.

The explosion occurred on Saturday night, only 20 minutes
after an unknown assailant stabbed to death Helmy Tombiling, the
wife of a military officer.

Poso Reconciliation Task Force director Darwis Waru said on
Sunday that the explosion took place in the premises of
Puselembah sports hall on Jl. Brig. Gen. Katamso.

Darwis explained that he was having a discussion with other
members of the task force at 9.30 p.m at his office, which is
close to the sports hall, when the explosion was heard. He said
that he quickly made for its source but discovered no traces of
material had been left behind after the explosion. "Apparently,
it was an 'empty' bomb," he said.

However, after preliminary investigation, Poso precinct police
chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Abdi Dharma Sitepu confirmed that it was a
low-explosive bomb. No fatalities were reported in the incident,
which occurred when hundreds of Poso residents were watching a
traditional dance performance in the sports hall.

Earlier on Saturday night, Helmy Tombiling, the wife of First.
Corp. Jemi Harinisa, who ran a small gasoline stall at her house,
was stabbed dead while about to help a customer pour gasoline
into the fuel tank of the latter's Suzuki motorcycle.

The motorcycle rider fled the area soon after repeatedly
stabbing Helmy, 36, a resident in Kawua subdistrict, who was
apparently unaware that she had been targeted.

A day earlier, another unknown assailant also stabbed dead
Melki, alias Kiki, 25, a motorcycle taxi driver.

The murder began when Melki, who lives in Bone Sompe
subdistrict, Poso city, took a customer toward Pandiri
subdistrict, Lage district, some 25 kilometers north of Poso
city.

When they reached a quiet spot in Pandiri subdistrict, the
customer suddenly stabbed him repeatedly until he died. The
unknown assailant stole Melki's motorcycle, wallet and other
valuable possessions.

Adj. Sr. Comr. Abdi Dharma said that the motive for the murder
was purely criminal as the murderer took away all Melki's
valuables. Meanwhile, the police were hunting down the murderer
of Helmy Tombiling.

Abdi further said that Melki's murderer, Yonathan M. Canda,
23, was arrested on Saturday evening in Pancasila subdistrict,
Pamona Utara district. He said that the police had to fire at
Yonathan's legs after the latter, who lives in Kancuu
subdistrict, Pamona Timur district, tried to escape police
arrest.

Abdi said the situation in Poso was under police control as of
Sunday. Darwis said, however, that the three separate incidents
had sparked jitters among local residents. People chose to avoid
public places following the incidents, he said.

The bombing and murders occurred only three months after
mysterious killers shot two locals, including a Christian
clergyman, and injured eight others in two separate incidents.

Darwis expressed concern that the string of incidents in the
past three months could be a precursor to another big conflict in
Poso regency. Poso saw a bloody sectarian conflict in 2000, when
some 2,000 Muslims and Christians were killed and forced dozens
of other people to flee the area.

The situation has largely returned to normal in the regency
since 2003, but sporadic, mysterious attacks have still occurred
in the regency until recently, keeping tension high.