Central Sulawesi Police Chief Affirms No Church Burned In Sigi

Central Sulawesi Regional Police Chief, Inspector General of Police Abdul Rahkman Baso. (Sulapto Sali / Antara)

JAKARTA - Central Sulawesi Regional Police Chief Inspector General of Police Abdul Rakhman Baso confirmed that no church building was burned or burned in the violence in Sigi Regency.

"I want to clarify that there were no churches that were burned there," said Baso accompanied by Korem 132 / Tadulako Commander, TNI Brigadier General Farid Makruf, and Deputy Head of the Central Sulawesi Regional Police, Police Brigadier General Hery Santoso, at a meeting in Palu, reported by Antara, Sunday, November 29th.

He said that what the perpetrators burned was only the house which was used as a place of service for the people. "At the TKP location there are 50 local transmigration houses and nine of those houses will be occupied permanently if the others return," he said.

Baso added, of the nine houses, not only residents of one ethnicity and religion are inhabited, but there is very good tolerance in that location.

He said, at 09.00 WIB Friday, November 27, around eight OTKs visited one of the houses, who entered through the back to take less than 40 kilograms of rice.

"After that he carried out the persecution without making any statement, using a sharp weapon inhumanely resulted in four victims," he said.

"After that, the OTK burned approximately six houses and I personally checked at the TKP yesterday and out of these six houses, two were burned down, only the back kitchen was not the core of the additional house with thatched roof," he said.

Baso confirmed that the perpetrators of the violence causing casualties in Sigi Regency were allegedly committed by the Poso East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) group. "From the testimony of the witness who saw firsthand the incident which we confirmed with photographs, DPO MIT Poso, there are similarities," he said.

Currently, he continued, the situation is conducive and the security apparatus has traumatized local residents to be afraid of the incident.

In fact, he said, currently a number of security personnel had been stationed at the location.

He reiterated that of the six houses that were burned, no church buildings were burned or burned, but only houses that were used as places of worship or services for the people.

He asked the public not to be provoked, because the aim of the perpetrators in carrying out the action was that there was a split in unity, especially in mobilizing this Pilkada.

Previously, a family in Lemba Tongoa Village, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi, was killed by an unknown person on Friday, November 27, at around 09:00 WITA in the morning.

As a result of this incident a number of residents who lived near the victim's house, hid, fled and even fled.