JP\/2\/Swiping<\/p>\n
Students check passing buses for non-Muslims<\/p>\n
Jupriadi
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nMakassar<\/p>\n
Amid mounting anti-U.S. sentiment in South Sulawesi, dozens of
\nstudents from the Indonesian Muslim University assaulted non-
\nMuslims in Makassar, protesting the recent burning of an Osama
\nbin Laden effigy in the predominantly Christian province of North
\nSulawesi.<\/p>\n
The incident occurred near the campus between 1 p.m. and 3
\np.m. when students stopped all public minivans passing the campus
\nand searched for non-Muslim passengers.<\/p>\n
At least four passengers suffered serious injuries after being
\nseverely beaten by the students and were placed in intensive care
\nat the city's general hospital.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said that the students forced non-Muslim passengers
\nout of minivans they had stopped and then beat them.<\/p>\n
A witness, who requested anonymity, said the students checked
\npassengers' identity cards to determine their religion.<\/p>\n
\"Christian passengers were pulled out by force and then
\nseverely beaten,\" he said, adding that the incident attracted
\nenormous public attention and caused heavy congestion in streets
\naround the campus.<\/p>\n
Another witness said the actions ended only minutes after the
\narrival of riot police.<\/p>\n
One student, who also requested anonymity, said that the group
\ncarried out the operation as retaliation for the burning of a bin
\nLaden effigy in Minahasa regency, North Sulawesi, a few days
\nearlier.<\/p>\n
\"The action (in North Sulawesi) has broken our hearts and hurt
\nour feelings,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Last Sunday, thousands of people held a rally in Tondano,
\nMinahasa regency, to commemorate the 40th days after the
\nterrorist attack on the United States. During the rally, which
\nwas covered by local media, the people also burned an effigy of
\nbin Laden in support of the fight against international
\nterrorism.<\/p>\n
Bin Laden, a Saudi Arabian living in Afghanistan, is being
\nhunted by the United States in relation to the Sept. 11 terrorist
\nattacks in New York and Washington. The U.S.-led strike on
\nAfghanistan has sparked strong protest among Muslim Indonesians.<\/p>\n
Makassar Police chief Sr. Comr. Amin Saleh expressed grave
\nconcern over the attacks, saying such an incident would never
\nhappen in the city again.<\/p>\n
He said that he would hold a meeting with students at the
\nuniversity to prevent them from conducting such actions in the
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
Darwis, a sociologist at Hasanuddin University, urged the
\npolice to take strict action against students involved in the
\nincident as it could set a bad precedent in other places.<\/p>\n
\"The police must arrest those who committed the beatings
\nbecause such brutality is quite intolerable,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to him, the students' rationale behind the action
\nhad no substance and their action did not represent the views of
\nlocal people in the province.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp2swiping-1447899208",
"image": ""
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