Christmas passes peacefully despite fear of terror attacks
Christmas passes peacefully despite fear of terror attacks
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Despite the threat of terrorism, hundreds of thousands of
Indonesians across the country packed full churches under tight
security in what was regarded as a peaceful Christmas celebration
on Wednesday.
A bomb threat made to a church in Pontianak, West Kalimantan
and another in Medan, North Sumatra, and the discovery of a large
cache of explosive materials in Palu, Central Sulawesi were the
only incidents that marked an otherwise quiet holiday.
Security, however, was tight with about 300,000 police
officers and soldiers manning churches, shopping malls and other
public areas in cities throughout the country. Worshipers were
frisked, bags were checked and in some churches metal detectors
were installed at entrances.
Security members of other civilian groups from religious and
political organizations were also seen guarding a number of
churches in East Java and other areas.
The measures came in the wake of increased terrorist threats
in the nation. More than 190 died in the Bali bombing in October,
and 19 were killed on Christmas Eve two years ago when bombs
exploded almost simultaneously at scores of churches across the
country.
This year saw better security to safeguard churchgoers, and
Jakarta saw thousands turning out to attend services at places of
worship.
Some 9,000 people attended the Christmas Eve service at
Central Jakarta's cathedral, which held three masses that lasted
until midnight.
Churchgoers patiently queued as security personnel checked
them with metal detectors at the cathedral's two main entrance
gates.
"We do not have to worry too much as the situation is getting
better," said the chairman of the Bishops Council of Indonesia
(KWI), Julius Kardinal Darmaatmadja.
The cathedral employs its own security personnel and together
with plainclothes police officers, they maintained security
within the church.
Outside and elsewhere in Jakarta members of youth wings of
political parties, religious groups and civilian organizations
stood by or helped police direct traffic.
Churchgoers throughout the rest of Indonesia observed a
similarly quiet, but tightly secured Christmas.
Christians in the predominately Hindu island of Bali shrugged
off fear of another terror strike after Oct. 12, and attended
Christmas Eve sermons in Denpasar.
The St. Joseph Church in Denpasar, known for its Balinese-
style architecture, was packed with worshipers and hundreds had
to listen to the sermon from outside the church.
"Our country received the most beautiful Christmas gift of
all, and that is the cessation of hostilities agreement between
the Republic of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM)," said
Father Subaga SVD in his sermon, referring to the recent peace
accord signed recently.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri spent the last few hours of
Christmas in the province of Papua, where she arrived for the
first time on Wednesday evening.
Elsewhere, the occasional sound of exploding firecrackers
marked a noisy but solemn Christmas in Ambon, the capital of
Maluku, where Muslims and Christians fought each other for some
three years before signing a peace accord last February.
However, foreigners remained cautious and few went to church,
AP reported. "Many of my friends have left the country, but I am
stuck here," said Matthew, an American citizen who was among the
few foreigners at the All Saint's Church in Jakarta.
The United States, Britain and Australia have warned their
citizens against attending church services or public gatherings
on Christmas in Indonesia.
Western interests are seen at risk of terrorist attacks,
especially after Bali, where most of the victims in the bombing
were foreigners.
Police investigating the Bali bombing uncovered a network of
hard-liners that they believe belongs to Jamaah Islamyiah (JI) --
a regional terrorist organization with alleged links to al-Qaeda.
Findings from the investigation have also pointed to the
likelihood of JI's involvement in the Christmas bombings in 2000.
In another disturbing development, Central Sulawesi Police
found on Wednesday a large cache of explosive materials of the
same type used in the Bali bombing, but in a larger amount.
About 250 kilograms of ammonium nitrate -- a type of
fertilizer that can be used to make explosives -- was found in
the provincial capital of Palu.
Police found 10 sacks of ammonium nitrate inside a Kijang
minivan, Antara reported. The driver was arrested, but police are
still searching for the owner of the chemical.
Frequent bomb blasts in the region have put at risk a peace deal
to end years of sectarian clashes between Muslims and Christians.
Police are also investigating a bomb threat made to a
cathedral in Pontianak, East Kalimantan, on Christmas Eve. A
police bomb squad did not find anything after searching the
church compound.
A similar incident occurred at the Charismatic Worship Service
church in Medan, North Sumatra.