Noegroho says 'brochures provoked Doulos burning'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho
\nDjajoesman said on Saturday that the arson attack on the
\nChristian Doulos foundation late last year was in connection with
\nanger sparked from the distribution of brochures on Christianity.<\/p>\n
He said police found during their investigation that the
\nfoundation handed out brochures and circulars on Christianity to
\nlocal residents and schools.<\/p>\n
\"The police found all these brochures and circulars which were
\ndistributed to local residents... they even reached schools.
\nThere are witnesses who saw the brochures distributed as well,\"
\nNoegroho told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"It was not only brochures... there were several things that
\nhad to do with Christianity. This matter could have been solved
\nin a civil manner, but there was no communication between the
\nangry parties and the Doulos foundation.\"<\/p>\n
Some 300 people, armed with sharp weapons and Molotov
\ncocktails, stormed the foundation complex in Cipayung, East
\nJakarta and burned some of the buildings to the ground on the
\nevening of Dec. 15 after the Tarawih (the evening Muslim prayer
\nduring Ramadhan fasting month).<\/p>\n
Noegroho also confirmed that one of the nine suspects being
\nheld by the city police is a former employee of the local
\nDirectorate of Social and Political Affairs (Ditsospol), while
\ntwo others are University of Indonesia (UI) students, who are
\nmembers of the Defenders of Islam Front (FPI).<\/p>\n
\"Sudarsono is the one from Ditsospol. I think he was assigned
\nby his office to check out how far this foundation was going to
\ndistribute information about Christianity,\" Noegroho said.<\/p>\n
\"Of course, there were efforts to provoke anger between the
\nparties. The anger had nothing to do with UI students being
\nmembers of FPI. All the residents in the Cipayung area have an
\nemotional attachment to the complex.\"<\/p>\n
\"Some residents are from Ciracas, some from Cilangkap. They
\nare all close to one another and knew this problem very well.\"<\/p>\n
Noegroho flatly denied that the Army was involved in the
\narson.<\/p>\n
The foundation is about 500 meters from the Indonesian
\nMilitary (TNI) headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta. No
\nmilitary members were sent to the fire, which lasted until the
\nearly morning of Dec. 16.<\/p>\n
The first eleven suspects detained for questioning were
\nidentified as Sumardi, Imam Saurozi, Untung, Anuri, Hamdi,
\nDjainudin, Johan, Mislan, Taufik, Heri and H. Sanin, alias
\nSudarsono.<\/p>\n
Of the 11, it is not clear which two suspects were recently
\nreleased due to a lack of evidence.<\/p>\n
\"I cannot tell you all of that now,\" Noegroho said.<\/p>\n
A source close to the investigation said that FPI and Doulos
\nhad not been on good terms lately.<\/p>\n
\"They (FPI) accused Doulos of handing out circulars every
\nother week reporting the conversion of Muslims to Christians,\"
\nthe source said.<\/p>\n
\"Doulos not only helps drug addicts and patients suffering
\nfrom mental illness, but they teach people about Christianity.
\nThat is not exactly conversion, but FPI got mad about it.\"<\/p>\n
\"Recently, one person -- we don't know from which group --
\nwent to each house in the Jl. Tugu area, petitioning each
\nhousehold to sign a piece of paper, saying that residents did not
\nlike the complex being there. Not one resident signed.\"<\/p>\n
When asked if it had anything to do with the foundation's
\nbuilding permit problem, the source said that was only a \"cover-
\nup to justify the burning.\"<\/p>\n
\"Ever since the building was built in 1997, the FPI has
\nprotested Doulos at City Hall, at the East Jakarta mayoralty
\noffice and other places. They always lead the protests,\" the
\nsource said. (ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/noegroho-says-brochures-provoked-doulos-burning-1447893297",
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