All sane Indonesians should condemn the barbaric acts of hundreds of Christians '€” apparently mostly native Papuans '€” who tried to force a group of Muslims, reportedly mostly non- Papuan migrants, to disperse by throwing stones as they performed Idul Fitri mass prayers in Tolikara regency on July 17.

The attack was a blatant violation of the Constitution, which fully guarantees freedom of religion and mandates the state to ensure the rights of all citizens to practice their faith undisrupted.

This includes the Muslims in Tolikara, a minority in the regency. The Constitution does not have loopholes to exempt certain people from their rights and obligations.

The Christians were clearly provoked by a letter from leaders of the Evangelical Church of Indonesia (GIDI) declaring that Muslims should not pray in the area where the incident erupted, as Christians were scheduled to worship Jesus at the same time. They were outraged because the Muslims defied their '€œorder'€.

The Muslims might also have never thought that their friendly Papuans would have the heart to disturb their prayers.

The mentality of the church leaders was a combination of fundamentalism, naivity and narrow mindedness. The attitude of their followers reflected both a determination to defend their faith and the frustration of native people who are powerless against nonPapuans who dominate their lives.

They are aliens on their own soil. Their leaders reportedly claimed that the followers of Jesus Christ (read: GIDI members) could do whatever they like on behalf of God. Even churches from other denominations were dismissed as infidels. It does not need deep analysis to conclude that Muslims are also infidels in their eyes.

At least 10 were injured and a teenager lost his life from gunshot wounds inflicted by security forces. The regent was quick to wash his hands of any guilt, and reportedly argued that the regency had a bylaw stipulating the superiority and privileges of Christians in the remote area.

The local military and police leaders were also defensive, arguing that they had done their best to protect the Muslim group as they prayed. Or maybe they thought that since surely God would not let His own people fight each other, they need not try to prevent the attack.

People are angry that police failed in their job, as the GIDI letter was dated a week before Idul Fitri. However, it may be the case that the civilian, police or military leaders in Tolikara, of whatever faith, were preoccupied with their obligation to prepare their homes for the customary '€œopen house'€ during festivities, as their staff, subordinates and the locals would visit their official residence to exchange greetings and enjoy meals.

They were perhaps too busy preparing dishes with their wives to pay serious attention to the warnings of GIDI leaders.

We should applaud the government in managing the aftermath of the incident.Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin sounded statesmanlike in convincing the nation,including our Muslim brothers and sisters, that patience and wisdom were the best reaction to the incident.National Police Chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti also stated that the police took full responsibility for the fatal clash. If the ministry were still headed by Suryadharma Ali (now in prison for sinful corruption), the situation could be worse.

Under Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono'€™s administration, Suryadharma preferred to defend the majority, often without thinking, it seemed.

The nation was in the relaxed mood of the Idul Fitri holiday when the Tolikara incident erupted. A few days later, people reacted louder and stronger.

Regardless of our faith,the attack on our Muslim compatriots cannot be tolerated. The masterminds '€” including the church leaders who issued the provocative letter '€” should be taken to court.

We hope for the full recovery of the injured, including security personnel. Let the Muslims rebuild their mosque. And much more importantly, allow all Tolikara residents enough time and space to heal their wounds and return to their normal life.

Allow me to naively conclude that the majority always tends do abuse its influence to act on behalf of God in oppressing the minority. Many churches have been forced to close down because they lacked proper permits, although obtaining official approval from the government could take more than a decade. Even churches with permits have often been closed just because certain people took issue with the church'€™s presence, and felt no need to dream up an excuse to impose their will.

Then president Abdurrahman '€œGus Dur'€ Wahid was once asked during a meeting in Padang, West Sumatra, about his stance on the presence of unlicensed churches in the country. Gus Dur shot back: Not just churches, but thousands of mosques lack permits too!

The angry reactions to the violent behavior of our Papuan compatriots in Tolikara were completely understandable.

So for those of both majority and the minority faiths , the incident is probably a goodmoment to look in the nation'€™s mirror and ask ourselves: Am I a true defender of the Constitution, or just a selfish Indonesian who only cares about my rights while oppressing those of others?
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The writer is senior managing editor of The Jakarta Post.

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