Poso surrenders to Army seen as 'face-saving'
Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, 26 Feb 2007

The two alleged Poso militants who surrendered to the Army's special forces last week did so to "save face" and avoid being tortured, says a criminologist.

Agus Jenggot and Riza, alia Icang, wanted for their involvement in sectarian violence in Poso, Central Sulawesi, surrendered last Thursday to Kopassus, the Army's elite special forces unit, instead of the police, who had placed them on a wanted list.

"The people on the wanted list might prefer to surrender to other bodies rather than the police. One reason is that the militants in Poso have always been the opposing force to the police," criminologist Adrianus Meliala told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

He said that their fear of being tortured by the police was also a manifestation of their concern at losing face.

National Police chief Gen. Sutanto had earlier said that those on the wanted list would be treated well and that the surrender of the two men meant that they had realized that what they had done was wrong.

Contacted separately, National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Bambang Kuncoko said that the two militants had been handed over to the Central Sulawesi Police for legal processing on Friday.

"It doesn't matter who the fugitives surrender to as long as they can comply with the law," Bambang said.

"There is no rivalry between the institutions as the objective is clear. It's much better for the wanted men to have goodwill and give in rather than disobeying the law," he said.

Relations between the police and military have been good, the police say. The Indonesian Military's involvement in the area was requested by the Central Sulawesi Police chief and approved by the National Police.

Bambang said that Kopassus had handed the two men over to the police because only the police could send them to trial.

There are still 12 people on the list who have not surrendered or been caught.

"Let's not see the people on the wanted list as enemies. We will only send them to court and let the court decide," Bambang said.

Agus and Riza were wanted for their involvement in the beheadings of three female high school students in Poso in 2005.

The police previously arrested another militant wanted in connection to the crime, Basri, in January. After he was detained, they invited the media to meet him in Jakarta for a press conference, a move meant to encourage others on the wanted list to surrender.

Last week, the Central Jakarta district court sentenced two accomplices of Poso terrorist Hasanuddin, Lilik Purnomo and Irwanto Irano, to 20 years in prison for committing terrorist acts.

A militant group headed by Hasanuddin is accused of masterminding the beheadings of the three female students. Hasanuddin was convicted of the crime in February last year and sentenced to 20 years' prison.