Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Jakarta – The government has extended its security operation in the conflict-scarred region of Poso, Central Sulawesi, by another three months because it says tensions remain high in the area.
Police Brig. Gen. Paulus Purwoko, the operation commander, said despite the extension, no more new police or troops would be deployed in the region. "Our aim is to prevent more terror attacks in the coming three months," he said after attending a closed-door meeting of top government officials.
The meeting was attended by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sucipto, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono, State Intelligence Agency head Syamsir Siregar, Indonesia Military chief Air Marshall Djoko Suyanto, Religious Affairs Minister M. Maftuh Basyuni, Home Minister M. Ma'ruf and Social Services Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah.
About 4,000 reinforcement police and soldiers were sent to restore order in Central Sulawesi in 2005 after a series of shootings and bombings in the region.
The House supports the government's plan to extend the command's term, with legislators saying it needed more time to arrest and prosecute those behind the attacks.
Purwoko, a top police officer from National Police Headquarters, said his command had focused on cooperating with security agencies in Central Sulawesi.
In the next three months, the command would tighten security in the region, he said, building checkpoints at the entrances to Poso city. "The checkpoints will normally be open but will close if there are new attacks," Purwoko said.
The command would work with the local legislative council, non-governmental organizations, police and the military, he said. "Our job is to coordinate (these agencies)," he said. Purwoko said he believed the perpetrators of recent attacks included members of radical groups linked to Jama'ah Islamiyah.
Separately, Attorney General Abdul Rahman Saleh said the three Christian men convicted of inciting sectarian violence in the area would be executed as planned despite protests from their lawyers and supporters.
The convicts are Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva and Marianus Riwu. "The Supreme Court has rejected their appeal for a case review. The President has also refused to pardon them. There is no more chance to file another judicial review motion," he said.
More than 1,000 people died in sectarian violence in the area between 2000 and 2001.