Ascension Day commemoration turns into tragedy in Bandung

BANDUNG, West Java (JP): The commemoration of the Ascension Day of Jesus Christ became a tragedy yesterday when two churches grouped under the Batak Toba Protestant Church (HKBP) were turned into battlegrounds by rival congregations.

Twenty people were taken to hospitals in two separate yet almost simultaneous clashes at HKBP's East Bandung and Central Bandung churches.

Both churches were destroyed, their doors and windows smashed in the fighting between the two rival congregations for the right to hold the commemoration service.

Injuries were kept to a minimum thanks largely to the strong presence of security officers who had sensed that trouble would flare up in both churches as the rival congregations had vowed that they would stake their claims to using the church for Ascension Day.

The injuries were sustained by both sides, witnesses said.

The HKBP followers in Bandung, as in the rest of Indonesia, have divided into two groups over the past year. On the one side are the followers of the government-recognized Bishop P.W.T. Simanjuntak and on the other side are those who opposed his election and have rallied their support behind S.A.E. Nababan, the ousted bishop.

The pro-Nababan camp has dominated both churches since the conflict broke out last year.

In HKBP Central Bandung, the pro-Simanjuntak camp has been holding their Sunday services at a Moslem school near the church.

Trouble

But yesterday, led by preacher Hutahaean, the pro-Simanjuntak congregation marched to the Central Bandung church and demanded that they be allowed to use the church which had already been filled by the rival congregation led by preacher T.P. Simorangkir.

Trouble flared when neither side was willing to give in. The people started by throwing plastic water bottles, but later switched over to using rocks.

Police quickly intervened at this stage and ordered the pro- Simanjuntak congregation to leave first and then escorted the pro-Nababan worshipers out of the church one at a time.

At about the same time, it a similar battle took place at the HKBP East Bandung church.

Over the past year the rival camps had come to an agreement to each use the East Bandung church on alternate Sundays. But the arrangement did not extend to what should be done on major Christian holidays like the one yesterday.

The local military command has summoned both East Bandung preachers, Aritonang and Silalahi, for a meeting on how to best to resolve the problem today.

Both churches were emptied by the police and sealed.(pet/emb)