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| Southeast Asia |
| Govt. to send more troops to Poso |
| 2003-01-01 |
| The government will deploy another battalion of soldiers to Central Sulawesi in order to help maintain peace in conflict-ravaged province. Central Sulawesi military Chief Col. Suwahyuhadji, said on Wednesday the government decided to send additional soldiers to speed up recovery process of peace and security in Poso. The battalion (of about 800 soldiers), Suswahyudi said, would began its duties in Poso early in 2003. The number of sectarian clashes in Poso has declined in recent months following the signing of a government-sponsored peace more than a year ago by leaders of Muslim-Christian factions. With Laskar Jihad disbanded the violence should continue to subside, until a successor organization decides to reignite it. The test will come then — if the military slaps them down as soon as they raise their beturbanned little heads, the area will stay stable. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |