Attacks on churches instigated: Military<\/p>\n
MAGELANG (JP): Army Chief of Staff Gen. R. Hartono yesterday
\nsaid that the attacks on East Java churches last week were
\ninstigated by people who wished to see the country plunge into
\nturmoil.<\/p>\n
\"I know the characteristic of Moslems in the area (where the
\nattack occurred). They love unity. They are good people. So, if
\nthey became violent, it must be because they were provoked,\"
\nHartono, who is also former chief of East Java military command,
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
He said he did not know any of the rioters detained after the
\nviolence, but added that the reasons why the usually devout
\nSitubondo people became violent and attacked churches would be
\nrevealed by police investigation.<\/p>\n
About 40 people were arrested in connection with the riots
\nwhich left at least five people dead and damaged 25 churches,
\nCatholic schools and other public facilities.<\/p>\n
Hartono refused to consider the riots as a failure of the
\nreligious leaders in Situbondo.<\/p>\n
\"We can't blame religious leaders there because people are too
\ndiverse,\" Hartono said.<\/p>\n
The Armed Forces have assigned a fact-finding team to
\nSitubondo and the surrounding areas where the five hours of
\nviolence took place on Thursday last week, he said.<\/p>\n
Sahal Mahfudz, a leader of the 30-million Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
\nMoslem organization, whose members were said to have been
\ninvolved in the riots, called for inter-faith dialogs.<\/p>\n
He called on everybody to be honest with themselves and to
\nanalyze the reasons behind the riots. Introspection is needed to
\nprevent such unrest from recurring, he said.<\/p>\n
\"We need to realize how sensitive this case is, and we need to
\nprove our commitment to non-violence when voicing
\ndissatisfaction,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Nothing can't be discussed. People should learn from the
\nincident, and start living harmoniously with one another again,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The riots were reportedly sparked by Situbondo Moslems who
\nwere angry over the jail term requested by the prosecution for a
\nMoslem sect member standing trial for blasphemy against Islam.<\/p>\n
The mob, considering the requested punishment too lenient,
\nburned down the court building and set fire to a nearby church
\nafter someone shouted that the defendant, Saleh, was hidden
\ninside.<\/p>\n
The rampage spread to surrounding areas, and raged for five
\nhours before troops were able to contain it.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, NU chairman Abdurrachman Wahid begged for
\nforgiveness because he believed many of the perpetrators were NU
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
NU Secretary-General Ahmad Bagdja later said the NU was not
\nbehind the riots. He said the attacks were criminal acts, but not
\nfueled by religious hatred.<\/p>\n
Abdurrachman said he did not think that the riots were
\nengineered but exploded out of people's rage. He also named a
\nnumber of factors that could have triggered the unrest, including
\npoverty. (har\/ste)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/attacks-on-churches-instigated-military-1447893297",
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