Bishops call for reconciliation

Bishops call for reconciliation

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Senior Christian leaders called on Monday for a revival in
Indonesia focused on reconciliation among followers of various
religions in the aftermath of sectarian fighting and heightened
tensions since the international "war on terror" began.

Reconciliation could heal a lot of wounds suffered by the
conflict-battered nation, Julius Kardinal Darmaatmadja from the
Bishop's Council of Indonesia (KWI) and Natan Setiabudi from the
Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) said in a joint Christmas
message.

The two senior leaders also asked Christians, Muslims and
others to bolster the brotherhood among them.

"Celebrating Christmas should be seen as an effort to put
aside our interests and to show sensitivity toward the
surrounding situation, which we are deeply concerned,
particularly those affected by violence and injustice," said the
joint statement issued two days ahead of Christmas.

"We should believe and trust that God will bring justice,
peace and love, then we can defeat all hatred and resentment
among us," it added.

At least 19 people were killed and hundreds others injured in
a series of simultaneous bomb attacks on Christmas Eve in 2000
across Indonesia.

This week's celebrations of Christmas have been haunted by
increased fears of bomb attacks on churches across the country
following the Bali terrorist attack that claimed over 190 people
and injured some 300 others, mostly foreigners, on Oct. 12.

The Dec. 5 Makassar attack, which killed three people and
wounded 11 others in South Sulawesi, has added to the fears.

The suspects captured so far are Indonesian Muslims, and most
have said they intended to kill non-believers or Westerners.

Darmaatmadja and Natan deplored the two incidents as a serious
tragedy of humanity. "Such violence is against human values," the
statement said.

They said the terrorist attacks have severely ruined all
aspects of the country's way of life, such as security and
economic recovery, legal enforcement and democratization.

The two Christian leaders urged all religious worshipers to
never stop hoping for a better life for Indonesia and the world.

"For those celebrating Christmas Day, let your life become the
witness of the living God to bring prosperity to others, to take
part in His salvation, and to never lose the faith, so that we
can help this nation together to address all these difficulties,"
the message said.

Indonesia has also seen over three years of religious fighting
between Muslims and Christians on the Maluku islands, which has
left some 6,000 people dead. Similar conflicts have also rocked
Central Sulawesi, where thousands have been killed since 2000.

Two separate peace accords were signed between Muslim and
Christian leaders, as well as the government to end the conflicts
in Poso and Maluku. But renewed violence has broken out
sporadically since then.