Maumere still tense after incident

Maumere still tense after incident

JAKARTA (JP): The town of Maumere on the East Nusa Tenggara
island of Flores was still tense yesterday following a violent
demonstration which left at least one person killed, residents
said.

Groups of people were seen gathering in some places in the
town as security authorities reinforced their presence following
Friday's protest over a church harassment case.

The Maumere market was unusually quite, students were away
from schools and shops were closed.

"People from outside the town came in trucks in a show of
support for the demonstration," a Maumere resident told The
Jakarta Post by telephone.

The incident occurred while hundreds of people were protesting
a religious harassment case, in which prosecutors demanded a
three-and-a-half-year sentence for a Moslem accused of disrupting
a Catholic service in December.

Residents of the predominantly Roman Catholic town, upset with
the light sentence, vandalized the Maumere district court
building, set fires to cars and motorcycles and ransacked several
houses.

An officer on guard at the Maumere military district
headquarters, Second Sgt. Usman, told the Post that the situation
was "under control."

"We are checking on the damage caused by the rioting. So far
there are no more reports on the number of casualties," he said
when asked if the number of fatalities had risen.

A journalist from Pos Kupang newspaper said that reporters
were not being allowed to see the six people reportedly injured
in the incident and currently in hospital.

On Saturday, the military called in scores of its members to
reinforce security amid fears that more rioting would erupt.
(yac/imn/pan)