Indonesian VP in troubled Poso to ease tensions

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla visited conflict-torn Poso over the weekend to ease tensions in the Central Sulawesi town, which is plagued by deadly sectarian conflicts since 1999.

Kalla and his entourage, including leaders of major religious organizations, met separately with Muslim and Christian leaders to discuss strategy for peace, major national newspaper The Jakarta Post reported Monday.

Kalla, a native of Sulawesi, said the current tension was caused by "outbursts involving people who don't want Poso to be secure; they are the enemies of all people in Central Sulawesi province."

During the meetings, Kalla promised a thorough investigation into the Oct. 22 incident in which police killed one man and seriously injured a toddler.

Thousands of people in the province were involved in demonstrations ahead of last month's executions of three Christians who were convicted for roles in a massacre in 2000.

On Oct. 16, a Christian minister, Irianto Kongkoli, was killed by unidentified gunmen.

In addition to a number of minor bomb attacks after the assault, a police post was attacked last week and Police Moblie Brigade troops raided a Muslim boarding school where they believed militants responsible for the violence were hiding.

Source: Xinhua