Bishops call for reconciliation<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Senior Christian leaders called on Monday for a revival in
\nIndonesia focused on reconciliation among followers of various
\nreligions in the aftermath of sectarian fighting and heightened
\ntensions since the international \"war on terror\" began.<\/p>\n
Reconciliation could heal a lot of wounds suffered by the
\nconflict-battered nation, Julius Kardinal Darmaatmadja from the
\nBishop's Council of Indonesia (KWI) and Natan Setiabudi from the
\nIndonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) said in a joint Christmas
\nmessage.<\/p>\n
The two senior leaders also asked Christians, Muslims and
\nothers to bolster the brotherhood among them.<\/p>\n
\"Celebrating Christmas should be seen as an effort to put
\naside our interests and to show sensitivity toward the
\nsurrounding situation, which we are deeply concerned,
\nparticularly those affected by violence and injustice,\" said the
\njoint statement issued two days ahead of Christmas.<\/p>\n
\"We should believe and trust that God will bring justice,
\npeace and love, then we can defeat all hatred and resentment
\namong us,\" it added.<\/p>\n
At least 19 people were killed and hundreds others injured in
\na series of simultaneous bomb attacks on Christmas Eve in 2000
\nacross Indonesia.<\/p>\n
This week's celebrations of Christmas have been haunted by
\nincreased fears of bomb attacks on churches across the country
\nfollowing the Bali terrorist attack that claimed over 190 people
\nand injured some 300 others, mostly foreigners, on Oct. 12.<\/p>\n
The Dec. 5 Makassar attack, which killed three people and
\nwounded 11 others in South Sulawesi, has added to the fears.<\/p>\n
The suspects captured so far are Indonesian Muslims, and most
\nhave said they intended to kill non-believers or Westerners.<\/p>\n
Darmaatmadja and Natan deplored the two incidents as a serious
\ntragedy of humanity. \"Such violence is against human values,\" the
\nstatement said.<\/p>\n
They said the terrorist attacks have severely ruined all
\naspects of the country's way of life, such as security and
\neconomic recovery, legal enforcement and democratization.<\/p>\n
The two Christian leaders urged all religious worshipers to
\nnever stop hoping for a better life for Indonesia and the world.<\/p>\n
\"For those celebrating Christmas Day, let your life become the
\nwitness of the living God to bring prosperity to others, to take
\npart in His salvation, and to never lose the faith, so that we
\ncan help this nation together to address all these difficulties,\"
\nthe message said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has also seen over three years of religious fighting
\nbetween Muslims and Christians on the Maluku islands, which has
\nleft some 6,000 people dead. Similar conflicts have also rocked
\nCentral Sulawesi, where thousands have been killed since 2000.<\/p>\n
Two separate peace accords were signed between Muslim and
\nChristian leaders, as well as the government to end the conflicts
\nin Poso and Maluku. But renewed violence has broken out
\nsporadically since then.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bishops-call-for-reconciliation-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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