ASIA/INDONESIA - The church attacked on June 6 in Jakarta belong to a protestant community: religion exploited in view of presidential elections

Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - A Christian protestant church at Ciputat, Tangerang, south of the Indonesian capital Jakarta was attacked on Sunday June 6 and in the violence Pastor Jonathan Wijaya was injured. This was confirmed to Fides by reliable local Catholic sources who offered an explanation on recent episodes of interreligious violence around Jakarta. “This is artificial violence, often seen exploitation of religion in a political context in view of presidential elections on 5 July” the sources told Fides
“In Jakarta there is no religious tension, only underhand political games at the highest level. Ghosts of the past are re-appearing and this spells danger for the country. Three of the candidates for Presidency are former military generals. But to keep attention away from their games, the easiest way is to create interreligious conflict. And Protestant groups are the softest target because many preach that there is no salvation outside their doctrine. For our country, this is an extremely delicate political moment. Episodes of this kind are a warning of danger” the sources told Fides.
Fides sources recalled the recent expulsion from Indonesia of Sidney Jones, an American researcher, director of the International Crisis Group, south-east Asian department, who had denounced several times mixing of politics and religion in Indonesia. “The expulsion was a serious factor which gave rise to lively protest from intellectuals and human rights activists. It was a symptom of a return to a non democratic past”, Fides sources commented.
In the meantime the police have arrested four suspects for the attacks last Sunday on the church and also on three shops used for religious meetings in the Pamulang and Tangerang districts, province of Banten, south west of Jakarta.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 08/06/2004 Lines: 31 Words: 317)