Jakartans told to end destructive acts
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman called on Monday for city residents to refrain from committing any violent actions in order to preserve religious harmony.
He said city residents should stop willfully burning or damaging buildings and leave their problems for the police to handle.
"There is no valid reason for the burning or damaging of churches or any other religious institutions. People must trust the police to handle their security problems for them," Noegroho said following a 50-year birthday celebration for the Jakarta Police at police headquarters.
Present at the ceremony were National Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Djasrie Marin, Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu, former National Police chief Gen. (ret) Widodo Budidarmo and chief of the Elite Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) Brig. Gen. Firman Gani.
Noegroho said he was concerned about acts of destruction carried out on Sunday in Bekasi, where at least one church and one home where church services were held were severely damaged. One other home where services are held was gutted by fire.
"If any city resident finds a reason to be angry with what is happening in a house, a building, or any place -- be it drugs or gambling or prostitution or anything -- you are allowed to go there and obtain evidence of whatever wrongdoing is happening," Noegroho said.
"Hand that evidence to us, and we'll do the rest," he added.
Rocks
Some 100 residents of the Siluman village in Mangun Jaya, Tambun subdistrict, Bekasi, caused severe damage at about 10:20 a.m. on Sunday to a church after pelting rocks at the building and breaking down a church wall.
City police spokesperson Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said locals inflicted damage worth Rp 7 million (US$1,000) on the building because they were unhappy with the church's presence in the area.
"They gave no definite reasons as to any wrongdoing by the church, for them to have been so mad at it," Zainuri said.
An hour later at about 11:30 a.m., 100 residents from the same village damaged the home of 45-year-old Martiatmadja, who also holds church services at his house.
"The house's windows and the roof were shattered, causing losses of up to Rp 500,000," Zainuri said.
At about 10:30 p.m., the home of 39-year-old Wasintoh Sitorus in the Graha Indah Prima complex in the Mangun area of Tambun was discovered to be on fire.
Wasintoh acknowledged that church services for the entire Christian community within the Graha Indah Prima neighborhood were held at his home.
"The fire was put out at midnight and there are losses of up to Rp 5 million. Bekasi Police are looking into the fire," Zainuri said.
Noegroho said that while Bekasi Police had stated that the fire was most probably caused by a short circuit, he had requested a more thorough investigation to find out the cause of the fire.
"I want to be sure, in order to be able to take strict action," Noegroho said. (ylt)