http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/three-indonesian-christians-executed/200 6/09/22/1158431869544.html
Christians executed by firing squad >From correspondents in Palu September 22, 2006 04:35am Article from: Agence France-Presse THREE Indonesian Christians who were on death row for inciting violence against Muslims in 2000 have been executed by firing squad, their lawyer has said. "They have been executed. Their bodies are now undergoing an autopsy at the police hospital," lawyer Roy Rening said. Mr Rening said he was informed of the executions of Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus da Silva and Marianus Riwu by the prosecutors office in Palu, the capital of religiously-divided Central Sulawesi province, where the men were being held. Indonesia authorities typically do not inform the public of executions, which are carried out by firing squad and held at undisclosed locations, until several hours after an autopsy is completed. Mr Rening added that he refused to be present at the deaths to protest a rejection by the state of their last demands, including that their bodies be flown back to their home towns or laid in wake at Palu's main Catholic church. He was unable to give further details about the precise time of the death, but a flurry of activity had occurred around midnight local time (0400 AEST) at the tightly-guarded jail, where a steady rain drizzled overnight. The trio were initially scheduled to be shot last month but authorities granted a last-minute reprieve - even following the preparation of their coffins - shortly after Pope Benedict XVI issued a plea for clemency, though a link was denied. After the executions, spokesman Federico Lombardi said the Vatican was saddened by the "painful" news. The case of the trio has raised fears of sectarian violence flaring again in Central Sulawesi, where more than 1000 people lost their lives in 2000-01 as Muslims and Christians clashed. Tibo, da Silva and Riwu were convicted of leading a Christian militia that carried out attacks against Muslims in the province, but they categorically denied they were the masterminds behind the unrest. The case of the three poor farmers drew international concern from rights activists, who criticised the fairness of their trial and saw the men as scapegoats targeted while few others were convicted over the violence that began six years ago, leaving those most responsible on the run. On Thursday, the men had met for the last time with their relatives, their priest and their lawyer, Mr Rening, who criticised authorities for declining to meet their final requests. "They should just do the execution and return their bodies to the family... This is a new crime, and I protest this attitude," Mr Rening said. Typically authorities do turn bodies over to families after executions, following a routine autopsy. Authorities may be concerned that the bodies could become a focal point for protest. The men's priest, Father Jimmy Tumbeleka, said he was concerned that a refusal to hand over the bodies could "trigger more anger from the family and others" in the province, where Muslims and Christians live in roughly equal numbers. More than 4000 security forces have fanned out across the province in the past two days in anticipation of the executions. Christian leaders had urged their faithful to stay calm and refrain from any violence ahead of the executions, with widespread prayer services for the men being held. The executions were carried out just a few days ahead of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting which is expected to begin this weekend. According to Amnesty International, which had raised questions about the fairness of the men's 2001 trial, the most recent previous execution in Indonesia was in May 2005. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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