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Jakarta Post

Angry crowds destroy three churches in C. Java

Day of rage: Cars and motorcycles burn at the Pantekosta Church in Temanggung, Central Java, after on attack by rioters on Tuesday

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Wed, February 9, 2011

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Angry crowds destroy three churches in C. Java

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span class="inline inline-center">Day of rage: Cars and motorcycles burn at the Pantekosta Church in Temanggung, Central Java, after on attack by rioters on Tuesday. Hundreds of peopleunhappy with the fi ve-year prison sentence sought for a blasphemy defendant ran riot, attacking the court building, three churches and police stations. Antara/Anis Efi zudin

Mobs destroyed three churches in Temanggung, Central Java, on Tuesday, as violence erupted following a hearing in a blasphemy trial of defendant Antonius Richmond Bawengan.

The angry crowd set the Bethel Church and Pantekosta Church on fire, and threw stones at Santo Petrus and Paulus Church, kompas.com reported.

Portions of a kindergarten located at the Bethel Church compound were gutted by fire, and several motorcycles were also burned in the incident.

The town was gripped by fear, as stores closed and traffic was chaotic in the wake of the violence.

During the hearing, prosecutors demanded that the Temanggung District Court sentence Antonius to five years in prison for his alleged blasphemy against Islam via books and articles in October 2010.

The crowd considered the sentence demand too light, calling for a death sentence instead.

The violence erupted immediately after prosecutors read their demand of a five-year prison sentence.

Trial spectators suddenly attacked the defendant, prosecutors and judges, while a group of people outside the courtroom broke windows and set parked cars on fire.

Judges were evacuated from the courtroom. Police fired tear gas, but the violence did not stop. An official of Temanggung District Court was also injured in the attack.

Even though the police managed to drive the incensed crowd out of the court room, they could not control what went on outside.

Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang went directly to Temanggung to lead efforts to maintain security.

“We will not tolerate any vio-lence in any form whatsoever. This is a state of law. Any perpetrators will be legally processed in line with existing laws,” he told the press.

Four people were arrested for allegedly provoking the brutal acts.

Din Syamsudin, chairman of Indonesia’s second-largest Muslim organization Muhammadiyah, deplored the incident.

He urged religious people, especially Muslims and Christians, to control themselves so as to avoid any new, unexpected incidents.

Anas Urbaningrum, the chairman of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party, echoed Din’s remarks, appealing to the people to be alert for provocative statements that might come up from the violent incident.

“I strongly appeal to all religious communities not to be easily fuelled by potential provocations,” Anas said in a statement sent to The Jakarta Post.

He also urged law enforcement officers to immediately prosecute any parties involved in the incident.

“Intelligence officials must improve their capabilities to prevent such incidents from taking place in the future,” Anas said.

He reiterated that violence and anarchy were unacceptable under any circumstances.

Tri Wuryaningsih, a lecturer at the Socio-political School at Jend. Soedirman University in Purwokerto, said the violent acts were the result of an accumulation of discontent on the part of the citizens.

“Everybody knows nowadays the feeling of justice has been tarnished by crooked persons at state institutions. The state loses its legitimacy and trust among its citizens. Many people have felt disappointed for a long time,” she said.


JP/Sunaryo

 

 

 

 

Bagus BT Saragih and Agus Maryono contributed to this article from Jakarta and Purwokerto.

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