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.