Over the last month police in Poso, central Sulawesi, have discovered the remains of 700 people killed in sectarian violence in 2000.

Yesterday a pit was dug up in the district of Lage, about 12 km’s to the south of Poso town, in which was found the skeletons of seven people. The Lage area was the scene of fierce fighting in May and June of 2000.

The dig was led by regional police chief Brigadier General Oegroseno. The first hole dug revealed nothing however the second dig, about seven metres from the first, was filled with clothing and bones.

The dig was part of a month long effort by the police to recover bodies from the sectarian fighting. So far about 700 have been found in the area. Many of these remains are believed to be of victims of the massacre at the Walisongo Islamic boarding school (pondok pesantren), in which about 200 Muslims were killed.

The area was known as the stomping ground of the Christian “Red Group” which some believe was led by Fabianus Tibo, currently on death row. However to be fair, the Christian population of Poso and its surrounds generally came off second best in the conflict overall.

Sources:
http://www.antara.co.id/seenws/?id=33464
http://www.metrotvnews.com/berita.asp?id=16423
http://www.media-indonesia.com/berita.asp?id=99381

Update 12th May

The Jakarta Post reports the story of one person who was able to identify some of the bodies found in the pit as belonging to her family.

These are the shirt and pants of my child. But where are my other children and my husband and my other relatives? Where were they buried. Why aren’t their clothes here?

said Rusdiati Arifin.

Rusdiati relived the horrible day of the massacre. It was May 28, 2000, when the electricity in the Muslim village was cut amid a heavy downpour.

Gunshots were heard from all directions and then the attackers, armed Christian militia members, began burning down the houses in the village. She said all of the houses were destroyed, including the Wali Songo Muslim boarding house.

All of the men, women and children from the village were gathered in a nearby field and their hands tied, Rusdiati said.

All of the sharp weapons in the village, including agricultural tools, were confiscated by the attackers, who wore headbands. The residents were then led to a river about two kilometers away.

At the river we were separated. My husband, three children and five other relatives were killed. My youngest child, Yudi Arifin, who was in the third grade, was also killed. They were all killed in front of my eyes.

she said, clutching and kissing the clothes pulled from the grave.

Police were led to the mass grave Wednesday based on information provided by three Christian men on death row for their roles in the religious violence in Poso, – Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus Da Silva and Marinus Riwu.