Dec. 18, Online
A group of residents attacked a church under construction in Harapan Indah residential complex, Bekasi, West Java, on Thursday evening, causing damage to several buildings. No one was injured in the incident. The chairwoman of the church construction committee, Kristina Maria Rantetana, said the incident happened at around 10:45 p.m. on Thursday.
“I saw around 1,000 people wearing white robes marching to the church. When they arrived, they started throwing rocks at the church,” she told kompas.com on Friday. “Some of them entered the church complex and started a fire.” Kristina said she immediately reported the incident to the police.
Several officers had arrived shortly afterward, but could not do anything to control the crowd.
The incident finally ended at around midnight when around 100 police officers from Bekasi Police arrived. One man was arrested for stealing a device in the church during the attack.
Your comments:
“The incident finally ended at around midnight when around 100 police officers from Bekasi Police arrived. One man was arrested for stealing a device in the church during the attack.” Police arrested one man.
This story does not highlight the structural damage to the interior and exterior of the church. I shudder to think what would happen, if a group of 1,000 out-of-control Christians attacked their local mosque in same way, the outcome would be 1,000 Christians locked up.
Pentti Paavola
Sydney
Ah, Indonesia. How embarrassing.
Saipul
Jakarta
There is a reason for this anger over church construction, and it is the international “church planting” movement being conducted by Christian missionaries. They tell the local government they are building the church only as a response to the natural growth in the local Christian population.
The Muslims believe them. Then, the recruiting of Muslims begins. Mostly they focus on recruiting women and children. The physical attacks on churches are wrong, but the opposition to church building has good reasons behind it.
Abdal-Latif
Merced, CA
Where are the Muslim organizations? Why don’t they condemn this behavior? When it’s about Swiss minarets, they make it front-page news. But we see their hypocritical behavior yet again when it’s about Indonesia itself. Freedom of religion just for Muslims?
Yopi
Jakarta
Who were these strange people, I wonder? Maybe they are opposed to the building of minarets? But hang on, churches don’t have minarets.
PJ
Jakarta
It is these types of ignorant fanatics that cry the loudest about the Swiss ban on minarets, or a few cartoons. At the same time, they think it’s OK to burn and destroy, attack innocent people and have no understanding of any other beliefs but their own.
Their actions speak so much louder than their words. Where does any religion say their followers are above humanity?
These fanatics lack a basic understanding of compassion and will twist their religious words and ideas to promote hate and violence.
Please, go back to the Dark Ages! The point is this; moderate thinking people leave you to your freedom of belief and expression, so why do you insist on pushing your hate-filled agenda onto innocent people. Give others the respect they deserve!
Mak
Yogyakarta
As a Muslim, I regret what happened to the church. It doesn’t represent all Muslims in Indonesia. Muslims are peaceful. Let us form better relationships to create more harmony among religions.
Andri Ardiansyah
Bekasi , West Java
To the parish priest and the people of Santo Albertus Catholic Church I extend my deepest sympathy and dismay as I hear that your church has been attacked by a lawless, intolerant mob.
Obviously, those responsible for this violation of the Indonesian Constitution, both those who carried out the attack and those who planned it, are ignorant of the teachings of their own religion which has the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) state quite clearly in the Koran: “You have your religion and I have mine.” (Q109:6).
These people have violated the Koran. They have betrayed their own religion. I will await a very quick and strident denunciation of this blasphemy by members of the Islamic religious leadership and swift prosecution, according to law, by the Indonesian legal system.
In the meantime, I will state again my sincere belief that it is possible for Muslims and Christians to live together in harmony if they want to.
This is possible only when dialogue takes place and people realize that accepting the differences of another group does not mean surrendering one’s human, spiritual or religious convictions.
Obviously, the people who attacked this church and thereby intimidated their fellow Indonesians don’t realize this. Perhaps they don’t want to. Ignorance, violence and religion are not compatible. The bottom line for any religion is how it treats human beings.
Pad
Tangerang, Banten
Good job, National Police chief! Your men seem to just stand by and let anarchists rule the day. I think that places of worship should be respected and protected, but if our beautiful Indonesia has incompetent leaders, what can you expect?
Mr. President, when we elected you we did it because we thought you would instill stability and peace, especially as you are a general, but we were wrong! The term and phrase NATO (no action, talk only) comes to mind. Well done again, Indonesia and the government.
Steve Limando
Manado
Crazy people. It just shows a lack of education.
David Williams
Bali
May God help us, may God forgive you. May the peace of Christmas be with us now and forever. The devil seems to be the winner, but not in the end. Merry Christmas to the Catholic congregation at St. Albertus Church, Bekasi.
Francisca Soejoedono
Jakarta
“Several officers had arrived shortly afterward, but could not do anything to control the crowd.” Why is it that when religious extremists take direct action against minority religions and sects the police are never there in numbers or have the right attitude to control the mob violence?
It looks increasingly like intolerant mobs are able to assert their authority and the police are unable or unprepared to protect the citizenry. RI still has a long way to go to achieve religious tolerance.
Where is the leadership preaching religious and racial tolerance? And enforcing the law.
I don’t even expect the police that did attend this organized attack and know the identities of the “leaders” will take any follow-up action for they are scared too. Any organized attack on any place of worship should, at the very least, attract the condemnation of relevant political leaders. Silence.
Nairdah
Brisbane
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