Doulos Foundation pledges to continue its work

JAKARTA (JP): Despite the city administration's order to cease its operations, the management of the Christian-run Doulos Foundation in Cipayung, East Jakarta, pledged on Saturday to continue their activities in the area in the future.

"We haven't yet thought about the city administration's decision to stop our activities. For what reasons? We've been processing our permit for two years," foundation executive Andrew Latuhimin said.

Governor Sutiyoso said on Friday the administration would not issue a permit to the foundation, which was running a theology institute and a narcotics rehabilitation center, because it had no license.

"The city administration did not delay issuing the permit, but it was they who violated city regulations on land usage," the governor said.

Sutiyoso said the administration had given food and medicine to the foundation, but would not give any financial aid to redevelop the complex.

Andrew's opinion was shared by Zacharias Pattimukay, a lecturer at the theology institute.

"What kind of permit do they need? We have paid for the permit and followed all their instructions so that we can obtain it," he said.

Workers were seen on Saturday installing glass windows in the multipurpose hall, still relatively intact after Wednesday evening's attack. Other workers were loading furniture onto trucks.

One student died and more than a dozen people were injured when some 300 people armed with sharp weapons and Molotov cocktails stormed the complex on Wednesday night.

The situation in the neighborhood was tense on Saturday. A local resident, identified as Tedi, said most local female residents were staying with their relatives.

He said locals did not have any objections to the students at the theology institute, but to the students' use of Islamic symbols and clothing while propagating their beliefs.

"The male students often wore kopiah (Islamic prayer caps) while the female students frequently wore jilbab (Islamic clothes), imitating real Muslims," Tedi, who works as a bus driver on the Cililitan-Cipayung route, said.

"The students always tried to convert local residents to Christianity by using familiar and gentle methods."

Zacharias, who was hit on the head by a metal pipe and suffered neck wounds in Wednesday's attack, denied the allegations.

"There is no such thing here. Our students are preparing to become reverends or counselors," he said.

City police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said on Saturday the attack on the complex was a regular case.

"The case becomes special because of the religions of the perpetrators and the victims," Noegroho said after a ceremony marking the official establishment of the National Business Development Council at the Presidential Palace.

He admitted the attack was well organized. "Yes, there had been meetings to plan the attack."

Noegroho said he was confident that the police could catch the mastermind and solve the case.

"I hope all parties related to this case will be frank in giving information to the police," he said, referring to suspects, witnesses and residents.

He said the city police had established a special team to solve the case.

"The team will include professionals as it deals with a sensitive area. They (team members) have to use a persuasive approach, not only legal methods, in approaching the residents," he said.

The police chief said he was sure that he would be able to bring the perpetrators to court.

"The President has ordered me to do so. I can't defy him by saying 'I can't,'" Noegroho said, while citing that he would focus on the legal aspects of the case.

Noegroho, who led the investigation, disclosed the police had arrested another three suspects allegedly involved in the attack, bringing the total of suspects to nine.

He admitted President Abdurrahman Wahid and National Police chief Gen. Roesmanhadi were also monitoring the Doulos case. (05)