Troubled area police chief removed
Troubled area police chief removed
Abdul Khalik and Ruslan Sangaji, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta/Palu
The National Police have assigned an antiterror specialist to
head the provincial police in troubled Central Sulawesi,
replacing Brig. Gen. Taufik Ridha, who will be assigned to a
minor post at the headquarters in Jakarta.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paiman said on Monday
Taufik would be replaced by the director of general and
transnational crimes, Brig. Gen. Aryanto Sutadi, in an attempt to
improve security in the province, which has seen a series of
murders that are feared could reignite sectarian violence there.
"It is just a normal tour of duty within our institution.
However, we hope the shuffle will allow us to serve and protect
the public better," said Paiman.
This latest reshuffle involves 13 high-ranking and two middle-
ranking officers, including Taufik and Lampung Police chief Brig.
Gen. M.D. Primanto.
Taufik will be assigned to the internal monitoring department
at National Police Headquarters, while Primanto will serve as a
lecturer at the Police Command School, starting next month.
Paiman denied that Taufik's replacement was related to the
continued violence and killings in Central Sulawesi.
However, an officer who asked not to be identified said the
appointment of Aryanto as police chief of the province had
something to do with his success in revealing organizational
links between perpetrators of terror attacks in Jakarta and the
Central Sulawesi towns of Palu and Poso.
"We managed to arrest several suspects in shooting and bombing
cases there, thanks to Aryanto," he said.
A string of killings and bombings have rocked the provincial
capital of Palu over the last three months. Only a few years ago,
Poso was the scene of bloody sectarian violence that left some
2,000 people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands others.
The conflict has largely subsided since 2003, but sporadic
attacks continue to occur.
A woman priest, Susanti Tinulele, was shot and killed while
delivering a sermon in June, while four congregation members were
wounded.
A special police investigation team has been formed under
Aryanto to hunt down the perpetrators of the attack, and to
provide security at all places of worship in the town.
In March, prosecutor Ferry Silalahi, 46, was shot and killed
outside the residence of lawyer Thomas D. Ihalaw on Jl. Swadaya
in Tana Modindi, South Palu.
On the eve of the National Police's announcement of the
reshuffle, a homemade bomb exploded near a house on Jl. Pulau
Morotai in Poso. The blast smashed several windows but no
injuries were reported.
The house's owner, Laikin, said he was outside of the house
when the bomb exploded.
"When I got up I found all of the windows were broken. After
that I went to the nearest police station," he said.
Poso Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Abdi Dharma said the
explosion was caused by a low-explosive bomb.
"The explosion was aimed at provoking Poso residents ahead of
the inauguration of the local legislature on August 24," Abdi
said.
He said the police had tightened security along the four main
access roads to Poso. Officers will check the identity cards of
those leaving or entering the town, he said.
Reshuffled officers
No. Officer Previous post Current post
1. Taufik Ridha Central Sulawesi Chief Monitoring Department
2. Aryanto Sutadi General Crimes Director Central Sulawesi Chief
3. Adang Firman Police Command School Expert staff
4. M.D. Primanto Lampung Police Chief Police Command School
5. Rasyid Ridho Police Command School Lampung Police Chief
6. Syarwan Djamaan NTB Deputy Chief Police Command School
7. Tommy Trider J. Papua Deputy Chief National Narcotics Agency
8. F.A. Woko National Narcotics Agency Papua Deputy Chief