Jokowi Condemns The Slaughter Of Families In Sigi: Barbaric Acts To Create Provocation

President Jokowi delivers a statement regarding terror in Sigi (Youtube of the Presidential Secretariat)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) condemned the murder and burning of houses carried out by the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) group led by Ali Kalora in Sigi, Central Sulawesi. Jokowi described the armed group's actions as out of bounds terror and uncivilized.

"I strongly condemn the actions that were beyond humanitarian and uncivilized, which caused four of our brothers to die in the violence that occurred in Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi," Jokowi said in a video uploaded to the Presidential Secretariat YouTube account, Monday, November 30.

This action, he continued, was deliberately carried out by Ali Kalora, cs as a form of terror and provocation that was deliberately destroying the unity that existed in society.

"This barbaric act clearly aims to create provocation and terror among the people who want to destroy the unity and harmony among the nation's citizens," he said.

In addition to condemning the act of terror, Jokowi expressed his condolences to the families of the victims who died as a result of the incident. Not only that, Jokowi also said that the government would provide compensation to the families of the victims.

"This is a human tragedy and the government will provide compensation to those left behind," he said.

It is known that the terror act carried out by the MIT group led by Ali Kalora took place on Friday, November 27 at around 09.00 WITA and reportedly reached the police at 13.00 WITA. This incident occurred in Lemban Tongoa Village, Palolo District, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi.

From this incident, there were four victims who were declared dead by the police.

"The four victims were named Yasa, Pinu, Naka, and Pedi. These four people were Ulin's family who were witnesses to the reporting," said the Head of Public Relations of the Central Sulawesi Police, Kombes Didik Suparnoto when contacted by reporters, Saturday, November 28.

Based on the testimony of an eye witness, named Ulin, the MIT group led by Ali Kalora came to Ulin's house in Lemban Tongoa Village and took the Ulin family hostage who managed to escape.

Ulin's father, Yasa, and Ulin's husband, Pinu, were killed by this group. Meanwhile, the cause of the deaths of Naka and Pedi is unknown. Meanwhile, Yasa's wife, Nei, survived despite experiencing a number of injuries on her body.

After carrying out the action, the perpetrators took 40 kilograms of rice and burned six houses around the murder site.

Meanwhile, in relation to this incident, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD said the terror acts carried out by MIT were not related to ethnicity and religion.

Mahfud asked that the violence committed by the East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) led by Ali Kalora was not linked to a particular religion.

"This incident is not a tribal war let alone a religion. This incident was carried out by a criminal group called MIT which is led by Ali Kalora and cannot be said to represent a particular religion," Mahfud said in a press conference at his office, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Monday, November 30.

He emphasized that the actions taken by Ali Kalora, cs were actually an attempt to carry out terror and create an atmosphere that was not conducive to chaos and division.

Mahfud asked all religious leaders to convey the message of peace, "Because in fact any religion is present in this world to build peace and brotherhood," he said.

He said the government would continue to take firm action against this group through the Tinombala Operations Task Force. This task force, he continued, had been ordered to carry out the pursuit and siege of the MIT group.

"The government has also ordered the security apparatus to strengthen and tighten guard and security against citizens from the threat of terrorism and those who want to disrupt security and order in the region," he said.