Attack on Doulos complex condemned<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Government officials, legislators and religious
\nleaders on Thursday condemned the violent burning and attack on
\nthe Christian-run Doulos complex in Cipayung, East Jakarta, but
\nasked people to calm down and not to be easily provoked by the
\nappalling incident.<\/p>\n
They also asked police to investigate the violent action by
\nthe mobs thoroughly and to arrest anyone involved in the case.<\/p>\n
House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung implored the
\npublic to restrain themselves and suggested that people not link
\nWednesday's arson attack to any religious groups.<\/p>\n
\"We all know that all religions forbid hostility toward
\nothers. There are no teachings for us to hate each other,\" Akbar
\ntold reporters at the House.<\/p>\n
He, therefore, urged followers of all religions to respect
\nothers and not to suspect them.<\/p>\n
The burning, he said, could have been committed by parties who
\nwanted to disrupt people's peaceful lives and to play one
\nreligion against another.<\/p>\n
Deputy Speaker of the House A.M. Fatwa shared Akbar's
\nthoughts.<\/p>\n
\"It will really hurt if the attack is labeled as a religious
\naction, as all religions have explicitly barred (their
\ncongregations) from doing such things,\" Fatwa said.<\/p>\n
He suspected a third party, on purpose, carried out the
\nviolent attack in a bid to elicit victims and supporters to enact
\nrevenge.<\/p>\n
At about 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a group of people attacked
\nand torched the buildings of a school and drug rehabilitation
\ncenter of the Doulos complex, run by a Christian humanitarian
\norganization.<\/p>\n
All the buildings in the complex were totally razed, leaving
\nat least one man killed and dozens suffering from wounds
\ninflicted by sharp weapons.<\/p>\n
Police and fire fighters were blamed for being unable to
\nimmediately stop the brutal action and the fire.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security, Gen.
\nWiranto, strongly hoped the police could solve the matter
\nimmediately.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Maj. Gen. Sudrajat said
\npeople should not respect the perpetrators and should uphold the
\nlaw in order to bring the culprits to justice.<\/p>\n
Sudrajat urged the police to solve the case immediately,
\notherwise it could trigger more religious clashes across the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"If more riots occur, the image of our country will be flushed
\ndown the drain and we should not let that happen,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Surjadi Soedirdja, who visited the
\ncomplex on Thursday, called on people from all religions to
\nrestrain themselves from issues that could spark wider inter-
\nreligious conflicts.<\/p>\n
\"All religious teachings disallow torturing other people,\" the
\nformer Jakarta governor said.<\/p>\n
Surjadi also asked the people to unite at this time of
\nhardship, instead of creating new problems.<\/p>\n
Human rights activist Albert Hasibuan said the burning of the
\ncomplex was an act of street justice which violated human rights.<\/p>\n
He suggested that the police move swiftly to solve the case.<\/p>\n
\"Maybe this is an effort to divert existing big issues, such
\nas (the killings in) Aceh,\" Albert said.<\/p>\n
Legislator Sabam Sirait asked the Doulos survivors to remain
\nlevelheaded in order not to inflame the situation.<\/p>\n
\"I know your pain, my brothers and sisters. But I'm begging
\nyou not to react using religious sentiments because it would only
\nmake things worse,\" the representative from the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) said.<\/p>\n
An executive of the Bishops Council of Indonesia (KWI),
\nIsmartono, simply said: \"We are not happy with the incident. It
\nis very sad to see this happen. There should be a thorough
\ninvestigation into it.<\/p>\n
Deputy general of the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI),
\nWeinata Sairin, said the attack had deeply shocked him.<\/p>\n
\"Such vigilant action is not helpful in the current
\nsituation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A statement from the Indonesian Committee for World Muslim
\nSolidarity (KISDI) stated last night that the organization
\nregretted the incident but \"understood and did not condemn the
\nviolent action conducted by our brothers who lost control\"
\nbecause they had been for years provoked by provocateurs who used
\nChristianity to further their own ends.<\/p>\n
According to the statement, signed by its spokesman, the
\nDoulos complex had also been used to baptize and Christianize
\npatients treated at the drug addiction and mental rehabilitation
\ncenters.<\/p>\n
\"The foundation has been causing controversy among local
\nresidents for years,\" it said. (bsr\/04\/05)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/attack-on-doulos-complex-condemned-1447893297",
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