Getting tough on Poso
Hyginus Hardoyo, Jakarta, Feb 1, 2007

Passions have cooled somewhat following an assurance by the government that the recent clash in Poso, Central Sulawesi, where 13 suspected militants were killed in a Jan. 22 gun battle with the police, was not religious in nature.
In a briefing to Muslim leaders at his residence on Saturday, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the incident was simply part of a power struggle as the leaders of the conflict were officials in the local administration.
He further said that the government had tried hard to be fair in Poso, and not to favor either side.
It is worth noting here that this assurance shows a determination on the part of the government that it is trying to put things in their proper perspective.
Kalla's remarks have partly answered questions from the public, many of whom believe the security forces are unable and unwilling to thoroughly settle the conflict in Poso.
It has widely believed that indecisiveness on the part of the government has led to various clashes between the security forces and people in the conflict-torn city.
On repeated occasions, the police have failed to uncover the perpetrators and motives behind violent acts, which include bombings, shootings and murders.
Poso, which used to be famous for its pristine natural beauty, Palu and surrounding areas have been the scene of a series of bloody conflicts between Muslims and Christians that left some 1,000 people dead between 2000 and 2001.
The two opposing camps -- Christians and Muslims -- have accused law enforcers of bias in enforcing the peace deal.
The police began taking serious measures late last year to capture the people believed to be perpetuating the conflict. The police initially refrained from using force by asking these people to voluntarily surrender. Only one suspect complied with this request.
However, the resolution of the conflict in the area proceeded at a snail's pace due mainly to inconsistent law enforcement, as evident from the police decision to extend the deadline for the surrender of the suspects three times.
The unfavorable situation was worsened by the fact that the police made blunders, such as wrongful arrests or the use of excessive force in trying to solve cases of terrorism and violence.
A number of people were beaten, or even shot, based upon the belief that they were involved in the violence, but were later released as there was not enough evidence to charge them.
These unprofessional actions caused resentment against the law enforcers, who were sometimes also accused of involvement in the violence.
The Christian camp charged that last September's execution by the authorities of three Christian men convicted of carrying out a series of killings in Poso and Palu in 2000 was religiously motivated.
Speculation surfaced that the execution of Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva and Marianus Riwu came amid pressure from Muslims unhappy with the nationwide war on terror.
Tension reappeared with the deaths of the 13 alleged militants, who were killed in the wake of a crackdown on terror suspects believed to have perpetrated a string of murders and bomb attacks in Poso.
A group of Muslims later tried to portray the incident as a religious problem, namely, a fight against the Muslim world. In this context, Kalla's above mentioned announcement on the government's neutrality was timely.
A noted Muslim leader strongly supported the government's determination to be tough and neutral in its crackdown on militants suspected of fomenting the sectarian conflict in the region.
State Islamic University rector and scholar Komaruddin Hidayat said the government should not hold back against militants who mingled with civilians, using them as human shields.
"This is the time to enforce our laws against those who have hijacked Islam and use it to pursue their own agenda. As a result, the image of Islam has been tarnished," he said.
As the government's stance is already clear -- no compromise with armed groups that try to take on the nation's security forces -- it is now up to the police to hunt down all of the perpetrators of violence in Poso.
With such strong backing, there is no excuse for hesitation on the part of the police.
The author is a staff writer for The Jakarta Post.