Maumere calm after religious riot

Yemris Fointuna and Yacob Herin, The Jakarta Post, Maumere/Kupang

The town of Maumere gradually returned to normal on Monday following an overnight riot in protest against a Catholic mass that was disrupted by an outsider.

During the rampage on Sunday, thousands of angry rioters attacked a mosque, the official residence of the local police chief and several shops. Social and economic activities were still halted on Monday although the police had managed to restore order in the predominantly Catholic town just after midnight.

Maumere Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. FX Bagus Wicaksana said the police had arrested Francisco Munilang, the skipper of the Monalisa passenger vessel, which was making a stopover here on its way from Bali.

Upon searching Francisco, the police found two different identity cards with the first stating he was a Muslim resident of Bima in West Nusa Tenggara and the second saying he was a Protestant resident of Sangir Talaud in North Sulawesi.

Witnesses said the skipper attended morning mass in St. Joseph's Church here and received holy communion, which may only be given to those who have been baptized. Francisco, the witnesses said, held onto the host before a mass attendant took it back and returned it to Father Johan Eo, who was the celebrant.

Bagus said the mob began to run amok at around 9 a.m. local time, just after the mass. His residence was among the targets of attack.

The police used tear gas and fired warning shots to disperse the mob but only after 1 a.m. on Monday morning was peace and order fully restored. No casualties were reported in the incident, the third of its kind on Flores island.

On Monday, East Nusa Tenggara Governor Piet A. Tallo and provincial police chief Yacobus Jacky Uli called for calm and asked religious leaders to help maintain harmony among people of different faiths.