Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Ambon (Agenzia Fides) - Two rudimental bombs were found in Ambon in front of the Synod Office of the Protestant Church of the Moluccas and in front of the protestant church "Marantaha" in Ambon. The two unexploded bombs were taken away by police. After the explosion of the bomb outside a church in Solo (Central Java) on Sunday (see Fides 26/09/2011), local sources of Fides say that the fear and concern among Indonesian Christians returns.
The watchword for the faithful, at this stage is "not to yield to provocations" and "not to fall into the temptation of war and violence". "Nobody wants to fall into the trap of religious war", underlined the head of the Synod of the Protestant Church of the Moluccas, Rev. Dr. John Ruhulessin in a statement sent to Fides. The leader invites the faithful to remain calm: "We must be wary of those who spread hatred and work to destroy our brotherhood".
Even on the recent incident only Christian leaders continue to send messages of peace: the President of the Indonesian Communion of Churches, Rev. Andrew Yewangoe, called every believer to "act as a true Christian, abandoning plans for revenge, which only cause bigger problems ".
With regards to the attack in Solo, Rev. Arthur Rumengan, Secretary General of the evangelical Christian church, urged the police to identify the culprits, saying that "every religious community has the right to feel safe during worship". According to the Secretary, "Cirebon", a terrorist group blamed for the suicide attack, is "a splinter group that wants to create havoc and does not act in the name of religion". For this reason "Christians and Muslims must work together to maintain harmony and peace among religious communities". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 27/09/2011)
