Jakartans told to end destructive acts<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho
\nDjajoesman called on Monday for city residents to refrain from
\ncommitting any violent actions in order to preserve religious
\nharmony.<\/p>\n
He said city residents should stop willfully burning or
\ndamaging buildings and leave their problems for the police to
\nhandle.<\/p>\n
\"There is no valid reason for the burning or damaging of
\nchurches or any other religious institutions. People must trust
\nthe police to handle their security problems for them,\" Noegroho
\nsaid following a 50-year birthday celebration for the Jakarta
\nPolice at police headquarters.<\/p>\n
Present at the ceremony were National Military Police chief
\nMaj. Gen. Djasrie Marin, Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen.
\nRyamizard Ryacudu, former National Police chief Gen. (ret) Widodo
\nBudidarmo and chief of the Elite Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob)
\nBrig. Gen. Firman Gani.<\/p>\n
Noegroho said he was concerned about acts of destruction
\ncarried out on Sunday in Bekasi, where at least one church and
\none home where church services were held were severely damaged.
\nOne other home where services are held was gutted by fire.<\/p>\n
\"If any city resident finds a reason to be angry with what is
\nhappening in a house, a building, or any place -- be it drugs or
\ngambling or prostitution or anything -- you are allowed to go
\nthere and obtain evidence of whatever wrongdoing is happening,\"
\nNoegroho said.<\/p>\n
\"Hand that evidence to us, and we'll do the rest,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Rocks<\/p>\n
Some 100 residents of the Siluman village in Mangun Jaya,
\nTambun subdistrict, Bekasi, caused severe damage at about 10:20
\na.m. on Sunday to a church after pelting rocks at the building
\nand breaking down a church wall.<\/p>\n
City police spokesperson Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said locals
\ninflicted damage worth Rp 7 million (US$1,000) on the building
\nbecause they were unhappy with the church's presence in the area.<\/p>\n
\"They gave no definite reasons as to any wrongdoing by the
\nchurch, for them to have been so mad at it,\" Zainuri said.<\/p>\n
An hour later at about 11:30 a.m., 100 residents from the same
\nvillage damaged the home of 45-year-old Martiatmadja, who also
\nholds church services at his house.<\/p>\n
\"The house's windows and the roof were shattered, causing
\nlosses of up to Rp 500,000,\" Zainuri said.<\/p>\n
At about 10:30 p.m., the home of 39-year-old Wasintoh Sitorus
\nin the Graha Indah Prima complex in the Mangun area of Tambun was
\ndiscovered to be on fire.<\/p>\n
Wasintoh acknowledged that church services for the entire
\nChristian community within the Graha Indah Prima neighborhood
\nwere held at his home.<\/p>\n
\"The fire was put out at midnight and there are losses of up
\nto Rp 5 million. Bekasi Police are looking into the fire,\"
\nZainuri said.<\/p>\n
Noegroho said that while Bekasi Police had stated that the
\nfire was most probably caused by a short circuit, he had
\nrequested a more thorough investigation to find out the cause of
\nthe fire.<\/p>\n
\"I want to be sure, in order to be able to take strict
\naction,\" Noegroho said. (ylt)<\/p>",
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