Don't execute Catholics, says Sulawesi police chief
He made this request because he wants to question Tibo and another 10 alleged instigators of the violence in Poso. Christians are increasingly mobilizing in defence of the three men.
Manado (AsiaNews) In a surprise move, the Police Chief of Central Sulawesi, Brigadier General Oegroseno, has called on the Office of the Attorney General (AGO) to cancel the execution of Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva and Marinus Riwu. The three Catholics are the only ones to be tried and subsequently condemned to death for their role in violence perpetrated against Muslims during inter-faith conflict in Poso in 2000.
Until a few weeks ago, Oegroseno was insisting that "everything was ready for the execution of the three". Yesterday's decision followed a meeting behind closed doors between the police chief, members of the Intelligence Services, Tibo and Yahya Patiro. The latter is among 16 people pinpointed by Tibo himself as being those truly responsible for the 2000 clashes.
"The cancellation should be automatic because the police want to interrogate Tibo and another 10 suspects," said Oegroseno. However, the AG, Abdul Rahman Saleh still refuses to change his mind about the execution.
Meanwhile, rallies calling for the life of three Catholics are gathering momentum. People believe they have been framed and are victims of a plot, and there is reluctance to disclose those behind it.
Yesterday, in Manado Poso forms part of this diocese 3,000 Catholics, with the backing of the bishop, gathered outside the AG's Office in North Sulawesi and the Consulate of the Philippines. Their aim was to draw more international attention to the case to put pressure on the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who must decide whether to grant the three men a pardon or not.
The Peace Prosperous Party, inspired by Christian ideals, called on the vice-president Jusuf Kalla to intervene. "We call on Kalla to do something; he participated in the Malino peace agreement that put an end of the fighting in Ambon and Poso." The response of Kalla was not too promising: "The death sentence has been decided, there is nothing else to be done."
Catholic politicians from the province of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), where Tibo and his companions come from, have also mobilized, sending a request to Susilo to grant the men clemency.
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