INDONESIA: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono orders police to take firm action against churchgoers attackers

Record ID: 353511

  • Title: INDONESIA: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono orders police to take firm action against churchgoers attackers
  • Date: 15th September 2010
  • Summary: JAKARTA, INDONESIA (SEPTEMBER 13, 2010) (REUTERS) ISLAMIC DEFENDERS' FRONT HEADQUARTERS INTER RELIGIONS MEETING HELD IN FPI (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) RIZIEQ SHIHAB, LEADER OF THE ISLAMIC DEFENDERS' FRONT (FPI) SAYING: "FPI has nothing to do with the stabbing, it's a slander. FPI forbid its members to use violence, mistreatment or killing people." JAKARTA, INDONES
  • Embargoed: 30th September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Indonesia
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA16F4PPGQO0KNGMCNX2Z5UGG3H
  • Story Text: Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Tuesday (September 14) police will take firm action against those involved in an attack on people going to church on Saturday (September 12) which resulted in two injuries.
    Members of the Huria Kristen Batak Protestant (HKBP) Church were on their way to their place of worship in Bekasi, a suburb of Jakarta, when one of their worshippers was stabbed and another was beat in the head with a piece of wood.
    The worshippers had been requesting permits to build a church in the area for the past 20 years, but none were ever granted. They hold their worship services in an open plot of land.
    "We must uphold the law. There's no room for violence to be committed by anyone or against anyone. Let alone on sensitive issue such as relations among religions," said Yudhoyono. He added that all religious leaders and local government must come together and discuss to find a way out.
    The attacks by unknown assailants had provoked public debate on religious freedom in the world's most populous Muslim country.
    Local police said church elder, Asia Sihombing, was stabbed in the stomach by men dressed in black vests riding on a motorcycle while on his way to prayers.
    The church's Reverend, Luspida Simanjutak, was beat in the head as she tried to come to his aid. She is still hospitalized.
    Critics said police have been standing idle while instances of religious intolerance is happening.
    Immediately after Sunday's attack, police described the incident as "pure criminal" before investigations were concluded.
    Reverend Andreas Yewangou from Communion of Churches in Indonesia urged the government to take immediate action.
    "The stabbing of people who were walking towards their outdoor church is a crime against humanity," Yewangou told a news conference at the hospital where Simanjutak is recovering.
    The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), an Islamist group, has been pressuring the local authorities since the beginning of the year to shut down HKBP, located in a densely populated Muslim area. But they deny any involvement in the attack.
    "FPI has nothing to do with the stabbing, it's a slander. FPI forbid its members to use violence, mistreatment or killing people," said Muhammad Riziq Sihab, the leader for the group told a news conference at the group's headquarters.
    Islamist groups in Bekasi, including Islamic People's Forum, or FUI, which have been rallying for the church's closure said they were worried of proselytisation.
    FUI secretary general Muhammad Al Khaththath said the Muslim mass organisation has nothing to do with violence against the church-goers in Bekasi.
    Sociologist from University of Indonesia, Imam Prasodjo, said the country was living in segmented religious groups and not ready for diversity.
    "Government did not give enough education on multicultural citizenship to its people so the strong reactions appear when they were facing diversity," said Prasodjo.
    He urged the government to educate its people to avoid more conflicts in the future.
    "I am afraid there will be conflicts in every levels. In the lowest level, in the middle level even among the elite. So, I think multicultural citizenship education is a way to avoid conflicts," said Prasodjo.
    The church had been using the open plot of land after its old place of worship two kilometres away was closed off by local government officials two months ago for allegedly violating regulations.
    Getting a permit to build a church can take dozens of years in Indonesia, said Henrek Lokra, the head of communication of Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI). Before issuing a grant to build a church, The church has been conducting services in various houses for the past15 years before they bought a house in 200 that the local government later closed, Simanjuntak said.
    Church members bought the plot of land in Mustika Jaya with the hopes of later building a church on the site.
    Until Sunday, church-goers have been gathering before walking together to the field where they would pray and listen to sermons, while anti-church neighbours watched and tried to stop them.
    Indonesia, while officially a secular nation, is the most populous Muslim country in the world. In the past year, religious violence has peaked according to human rights group Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy. It said 28 religious-related violence were recorded from January to July, while there were 18 cases in 2009 and 17 in 2008.
    The country has suffered from ethnic and religious tensions about a decade ago in Ambon and Poso.
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