T

he Central Sulawesi Police plan to launch what is being called a recovery operation to restore peace in Poso following a number of security threats in the regency over the past year.

Poso was rocked by religious conflict between Christians and Muslims between 1998 and 2000 that left thousands dead or missing.

In 2001, the Malino Declaration was signed and effectively called an end to ethnic violence. Although all-out conflict remains a thing of the past, the area still suffers from terror attacks launched by hard-line groups.

Today, Poso has become a haven for terrorists and is believed to be harboring members of Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid (JAT) in Gunung Biru, Tamanjeka, Poso Pesisir. The group has set up a training camp and launched a propaganda campaign to persuade members of the Poso community to join their cause.

“This situation is very dangerous, because the people eventually join them and become partisans and also spread terror,” Central Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Dewa Parsana said in Palu.

Consequently, Dewa said, the police were committed to restoring security and to combatting radical ideologies.

“We will hold a clean-up operation starting on Jan. 10 and continuing until the next month. Besides security approaches, we will also raise people’s awareness so they will not be involved in the radical group,” Dewa said.

According to Dewa, he will deploy a full force by involving the Indonesian Military (TNI) and local administrations.

“We will deploy up to three companies for the recovery operation,” he said. Police will also get reinforcements from National Police headquarters of up to three companies, or around 300 personnel.

However, reinforcements have yet to be sent to Poso, because deliberations are still ongoing as to whether additional forces will be drawn solely from the police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob) or will also include personnel from the Densus 88 counterterrorism unit.

Dewa said the operation would cost billions of rupiah. However, he did not disclose the exact figure. “The budget is allocated by the National Police headquarters and the provincial administration,” he said briefly.

Amid their efforts to get a handle on security in conflict-prone Poso, the police have come under fire as local residents have demanded Dewa be replaced in light of allegations of police brutality have implicated officers under his command.