Witnesses testify about massacre in Poso

PALU, Central Sulawesi (JP): Witnesses to the bloodshed in Poso testified during a hearing at the district court here on Monday.

Thayeb, a resident of Sangira village in Pamona Utara district, told the court he saw two piles of bodies in a ravine near Pandira village, each pile about five meters high, and heard defendant Dominggus da Silva order his men to pour gasoline on the corpses and burn them.

The witness said he and several other people were captured by an armed gang led by defendant Dominggus and taken to Tagolu village, the base of the "red" camp led by another defendant, Fabianus Tibo.

Thayeb said he was forced to work as a cook for the gang.

He added that Tibo, who he said appeared to be the leader of the group, ordered his release after five days in captivity.

The district court is trying Tibo, Dominggus and Marinus Riwu for the killing of 40 people in the province's remote regency of Poso last year.

The alleged massacre took place during a conflict between Muslims and Christians that left nearly 300 people dead.

During the hearing, one of the witnesses, Supiah, slapped the three defendants before security personnel were able to restrain her.

The 35-year-old housewife told the court that on May 25, 2000, she and her husband Sumardi, along with dozens of residents of Sintuvu village, fled into the jungle to avoid Tibo's armed gang.

"But the gang managed to catch us and herd us onto a truck. They said they would take us to military Battalion 711 but it turned out that we were dropped along the banks of Tambaru River," Supiah said.

The women were separated from the men, she said, adding that while the male captives were being executed, the women were sexually assaulted.

Another witness, Chief Sgt. Nasirun of the Poso Military District Command, said he saw the three defendants taking part in the riots.

"Tibo admitted in his dossier that he killed 40 people during the riots and his complete statement is on file," the officer said.

Tibo later retracted the statements he made during questioning.

Dominggus and Marimus are alleged to have served as Tibo's deputies in a group called the Black Bats, which allegedly was involved in the conflict with the Muslim camp. (24/edt)