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.