Poso, C Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Former vice president Jusuf Kalla said here on Thursday the recent incidents in Poso were the activity of individuals.

"There are no more potentials for conflict there. Those incidents were merely the work of individuals," he said after inspecting progress in the development of the Sulewana hydropower plant in Poso.

A number of bombs were recently discovered in Poso while two perpetrators of the recent shooting of police officers in Palu had also gone into hiding.

Kalla stayed only several hours in Poso before leaving for Makassar in South Sulawesi at 6pm.

While in Poso he met with local police and military leaders. It was disclosed during the meeting that potentials for conflict in Poso no longer existed. Conflicts that still happened were affairs between individuals.

Kalla who played a key role in settling communal conflicts in Poso in 2000 hoped all leaders in Poso would be aware of the importance of ensuring that conflicts like in the past would never happen again.

"Community figures in Poso must be aware of the importance of avoiding incidents like those in the past," he said.

Jusuf Kall said the people in Poso did not react too much to the recent discovery of active home-made bombs and the fleeing of two police attackers to Poso.

"The people have even helped the authorities," he said.

Kalla said the economy in Poso and Central Sulawesi in general would in the near future further progress after the Sulewana hydropower plant starts operating.

He said if the plant is operational investment would increase to help open employment.

"Now let us think of our economy so that it will become better," he said.

Jusuf Kalla predicts the Sulewana project will finish by the end of this year with a capacity of 160 megawatt. The plant will meet the need of electricity in Central Sulawesi.

"Only the rest of it will be supplied to South Sulawesi," he said.(*)
(H-YH/HAJM/A014)

Editor: Ruslan Burhani
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