Sexual assault case blamed for attack on school

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

At least six people were detained by police on Friday for allegedly provoking an attack on an Islamic boarding school in Bandung, West Java.

The suspects are being held at the Bandung Police station on charges of instigating the attack on the Darul Ilmi Islamic boarding school led by cleric Haji Elpamen, 50, on Thursday night.

The unrest damaged Elpamen's house. No injuries or casualties were reported.

The detained suspects were residents of the villages of Nangleng and Bojongmekar in Cipeundeuy subdistrict.

The situation at the school, which houses 570 students from 14 provinces, was still tense on Friday evening with police offices keeping guard to prevent the possibility of a further attack.

Witnesses said the attack was triggered by a report that Elpamen had once sexually assaulted his school's cook identified as Karsih Suasih, 51.

Earlier this month, Karsih reported to the Cipeundeuy Police precinct that she was sexually assaulted by the cleric.

"It happened twice in 1993 and 1994. But in the past I was afraid of taking the case to the police because my children were still young and I needed my job for their studies," she told reporters at the scene.

The report appeared to have spread immediately among local villagers who later vented their anger on Elpamen.

First Sgt. Samsul, who was at the scene, said local residents had tried recently to launch an attack but it was foiled by Cipeundeuy Police.

According to Samsul, the police had tried to get Elpamen and Karsih to reconcile. However, due to the lack of evidence, God would have the final say.

In the talks, Elpamen and Karsih signed an agreement not to sue one another.