Jakartans told to end destructive acts

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)