East Lombok calm after arson attacks

East Lombok calm after arson attacks

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The situation in Selong, East Lombok Regency in West Nusa
Tenggara (NTB) returned to normal on Thursday, following arson
attacks on a mosque belonging to the Ahmadiyah community as well
as other assets on Wednesday evening.

Local police chief Adj. Sr. Comm. M.A. Wiguna said Thursday
that authorities were currently questioning six persons as
witnesses in the attacks that started on Tuesday.

"The situation is under control as of Thursday morning and we
hope that the dispute can be settled through a meeting of
religious leaders, the regent, and the public," Wiguna was quoted
by Antara as saying.

No suspects have been named as yet.

Thousands of people -- youngsters and adults -- from villages
around the regency ransacked a building belonging to the
Ahmadiyah secretariat at 9 p.m. on Wednesday and burned nearly
everything in the building, forcing police to fire warning shots.

On Tuesday, an unidentified mob attacked an Ahmadiyah-run
mosque located on Jl. Prof. Yamin, Selong.

Ahmadiyah is a Muslim community which refuses to associate
with other Muslims. They tend to live in an exclusive group and
only pray in their own mosques, even though they were officially
banned in the 1980s.

Wiguna said the police had no reports of problems prior to
Tuesday, and so it was not anticipated.

"I urge the public not to take the law into their hands or to
do another attack. Just let all problems be handled by the
government and law enforcers," he said.

NTB police chief Brig. Gen. Iman Haryatna said a total ban
imposed on the group in 1983 by the courts and the Indonesian
Council of Ulemas (MUI) should be respected in order to avoid
unexpected incidents.

"Ahmadiyah should not have been allowed to exist here since it
was already banned," he said.

"Unexpected things like this will not take place if the ban is
fully implemented," Imam said.