Andi Hajramurni, Makassar – A civil society activist and local officials are some of the people the military blame Thursday for the recent violence in conflict-torn Poso, Central Sulawesi after the execution of three Christians on death row last month.
Wirabuana Military Commander Maj. Gen. Arief Budi Sampurno said groups behind the violence came from Poso and outside the area, and included people from non-governmental organizations and several Poso officials.
Budi would not name all the officials or groups that he said were revealed to the Indonesian Military (TNI) by undercover operations.
"We have identified several groups or people who have provoked residents to fresh violence in Poso. There are NGO activists and local officials. We have evidence of their involvement since all this time the TNI has been among them, so we know who they are and their plans," Arief said after the military's 61st anniversary celebration in Makassar.
The three Christian men – Fabianus Tibo, Marinus Riwu and Dominggus da Silva – were found guilty of leading a Christian militia that launched a series of attacks in Central Sulawesi in May 2000. Their executions on Sept. 22 triggered violence inside the province and in East Nusa Tenggara, da Silva's hometown.
In Poso, angry Taripa villagers stormed police station and torched three cars and the town has been rocked by several recent bombings, including three over the weekend.
Arief said one of those believed to be responsible for triggering fresh incidents was activist, Iskandar Lamuka, a director of a Poso-based NGO, the Institute for Empowering Civil Society.
Iskandar had allegedly provoked residents and security personnel to attack each other, Arief said, and had been called in for questioning by the Poso Police.
He said the police were also hunting down officials suspected of being involved in the incidents. "Just wait, the Poso Police will certainly bring things out into the open," Arief said.
The military would be ready to assist the police to track down and arrest the perpetrators, he said. Arief said the military would not send fresh reinforcements to Poso ahead of the Idul Fitri celebrations. Instead it would work with Muslim and Christian youths to help secure the area.
He said that the decision not to deploy more soldiers was made because Poso's security situation was "good" despite the previous incidents.
"Poso residents have been working together with the military and the police just fine. If something happens, they will directly report it to the security personnel, so it's clear there are only certain groups that want to cause security disturbances in Poso," Arief said.
He called Poso residents to remain calm and not be easily provoked by the actions of irresponsible groups or individuals.