The incident at Arastamar Theological College (Setia) in East Jakarta last week was described by The Jakarta Post as a clash. This is inaccurate. It was an attack against unarmed boys and girls.

In your report on July 29, you wrote that youth culture was the problem, "not faiths", and on July 31, you wrote: "Business interests may be behind the clash." These statements are also inaccurate. This attack did not begin with an accusation of theft. The police let Junius Koly go because it was obvious he was innocent.

In fact, there have been massive demonstrations on a regular basis for many months now, with locals calling for all-out war against Setia. In fact, on this occasion, large numbers of people were seen entering Kampung Pulo before the accusation of theft was even made against Junius, who was on his way home from a worship service when he was seized by locals.

The students of Setia are not angels. However, even if Junius was guilty -- which he manifestly wasn't -- it is the government's job to punish theft, not the locals'. It is Setia's job to control and discipline their students, and Setia does.

The Jakarta Post reports students were hanging around at midnight playing loud music. This is inaccurate too.

First, Setia students are almost all from the provinces, with traditional, provincial ethics. They are not typical "city kids".

Second, they do not own radios or CD players of any kind. They are dirt poor. Setia does have a few wooden guitars, which students often use to play praise songs within the confines of their campus or dormitory.

The songs are soft and beautiful, and they would never play them outside the campus because, as they are all well aware, that would be suicide. Finally, Setia enforces strict rules. All students are to be in bed by 10 p.m., except during special supervised trips.

Beds are checked during the night, and whenever Setia has a problem with any of its students, they are quickly sent back to the province from where they came.

I doubt any locals were injured, unless it was by other locals. No student would go looking for a fight in a neighborhood where they were outnumbered ten to one. Again, suicide.

Furthermore, unlike the locals, the students were unarmed. The locals threw stones and molotov cocktails. They threw corrosive chemicals at the students. They had swords, knives, meat hooks and bamboo spears.

CURT FLETEMEIR

Jakarta

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