Mob sets fire to church compound<\/p>\n
UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): Tension gripped the South
\nSulawesi capital of Ujungpandang on Tuesday following overnight
\nattacks against two Catholic and Protestant buildings.<\/p>\n
Some 6,000 police and military personnel were deployed in
\nanticipation of \"escalating retaliation for a bomb blast which
\ndamaged the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta,\" security authorities
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"We have raised security alertness to the highest level,
\nbecause we don't want to take the risk (of possible unrest),\"
\ndeputy chief of provincial police Col. John Lalo said.<\/p>\n
On Monday night, hundreds of people set fire to the Catholic
\nWisma Kare dormitory, kindergarten and elementary school
\nbuildings. Two motorcycles and a Kijang van parked in the
\ndormitory compound were also damaged.<\/p>\n
Traveling in motorcycles and cars, the mob moved to a nearby
\nIndonesian Communion of Churches office and threw Molotov
\ncocktails at the building.<\/p>\n
Police and military troops were quickly dispatched to restore
\norder. Warning shots were fired to quell the crowd.<\/p>\n
Deputy chief of Wirabuana Military Command overseeing
\nSulawesi, Brig. Gen. Husni Thamrin and deputy police chief Col.
\nJohn Lalo appealed to the crowd for calm.<\/p>\n
A Hasanuddin University student, identified as Joko, sustained
\ngunshot wounds when security troops dispersed the mob. He was
\nrushed to Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital.<\/p>\n
Another student, Rusdi, told The Jakarta Post the disturbance
\noriginated from a student rally to condemn the Istiqlal Mosque
\nattack and push for an investigation into the case.<\/p>\n
\"It was a spontaneous move to show our solidarity,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The students, from state-run Hasanuddin University, Indonesian
\nMuslim University and the state Islamic Institute, staged rallies
\nat their own campuses. They burned tires before taking to the
\nstreets.<\/p>\n
South Sulawesi Police chief Brig. Gen. Mudji Santoso told
\nAntara on Tuesday that no churches were burned down during the
\nincident. Police troops were deployed to safeguard 24 buildings,
\nmost of which were houses of worship, across the city, Mudji
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
At least 20 people were apprehended during the unrest.<\/p>\n
The violence is the first reported incident of religious-
\nrelated violence following the riots in Ketapang subdistrict in
\nJakarta last November. (27\/30\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mob-sets-fire-to-church-compound-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}