SUBJECT: REV. ISHAK CHRISTIAN AND HIS FAMILY WERE BURNT TO DEAD

AFTER MORE INFORMATION BEING GATHERED BY SURABAYA CHRISTIAN 
COMMUNICATION FORUM, HERE ARE THE LATEST FACTS ABOUT THE 
ATTACKS IN EASTERN JAVA, INDONESIA, 0CTOBER 10 1996:

1. SITUBONDO (TOTAL OF 7 CHURCHES):
   GBI, GPDI, GBIS, GSJP, GKJW, GPPS, CATHOLIC CHURCH 
2. PENARUKAN (TOTAL OF 3 CHURCHES):
   GPDI, GPPS, CATHOLIC CHURCH
3. WONOREJO (TOTAL OF 3 CHURCHES):
   GKJW AND TWO OTHER CHURCHES
4. BANYU PUTIH (TOTAL OF 2 CHURCHES):
   GKJW, AND ONE OTHER CHURCH
5. ASEM BAGUS (TOTAL OF 3 CHURCHES)
   GKJW, GBIS, CATHOLIC CHURCH
6. BESUKI (TOTAL OF 2 CHURCHES):
   GPDI, GBIS

THERE ARE 20 CHURCHES TOTAL BEING VANDALIZED/ATTACKED/BURNT DOWN.

OTHER CASUALTIES INCLUDE: ONE BUDDHIST TEMPLE, ONE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL,
ONE CATHOLIC SCHOOL, ONE CHRISTIAN ORPHANAGE.

THE WORST OF ALL IS THE DEAD OF REV. ISHAK CHRISTIAN AND HIS WHOLE HOUSE-
HOLD.  THEY WERE BEING BURNT TO DEAD INSIDE THEIR CHURCH BUILDING.  REV.
ISHAK WAS A PASTOR OF GPPS CHURCH IN SITUBONDO, 5 PEOPLE TOTAL.

SEVERAL WEEKS AGO THE COMPASS DIRECT OF OPEN DOORS REPORTED A CHRISTIAN
BEING HUNG TO DEAD IN IRAN.  THAT WAS A SHOCKING NEWS INDEED.  HOWEVER,
WE MIGHT UNDERSTAND THAT KIND OF CRUELTY IN A COUNRTY SUCH AS IRAN,
WHICH IS PERCEIVED AS ONE OF THE CENTER FOR FUNDAMENTALISM.  NOBODY WOULD
EVER IMAGINE THAT THE PERSECUTION AGAINST CHRISTIAN AND EVEN THE DEAD
OF REV. ISHAK CHRISTIAN AND HIS WHOLE HOUSEHOLD COULD TAKE PLACE IN
A COUNTRY SUCH AS INDONESIA, WHO PROCLAIMS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SANCTITY
OF HUMAN RIGHTS, INCLUDING FREEDOM OF RELIGIONS. 

THE WORLD MIGHT HAVE VIEWED INDONESIA AS ONE OF THE RISING STAR IN THE 
PACIFIC RIM.  THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION GIVEN TO THE ECONOMIC 
GROWTH AND POTENTIAL IN INDONESIA.  THE RECENT INCIDENT ON JULY 27 1996 
AGAINST THE INDONESIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS GIVEN INDONESIA QUITE A DENT 
AMONG THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.

THE JUNE 9 1996 INCIDENT WHERE 10 CHURCHES IN SURABAYA BEING ATTACKED 
AND VANDALIZED IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR HOLY SERVICES, AND TOGETHER WITH
THE SEPTEMBER 18'S BURNING AGAINST A CATHOLIC CHURCH AT THE OUTSKIRT
OF JAKARTA, CERTAINLY HAVE ADDED TO THE NUMBER OF CHURCHES BEING BURNT/
ATTACKED/VANDALIZED SINCE 1991, WHICH WERE REPORTED HAVE BEEN MORE THAN
200 CHURCHES.  

PERSECUTION AGAINST RELIGIOUS FREEDOM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY
REPRESSED IN INDONESIA, HOWEVER, WITH THE GLOBALIZATION AND THE INTERNET
CERTAINLY IT WILL BRING UP A NEW CHALLENGE FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND THE
RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE.  IT SEEMS THAT THE TERM REPUBLIC
AND DEMOCRATIC, ON WHICH INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT PROCLAIM TO STAND UPON,
HAS TO BE PROVEN FURTHER.

TODAY, THE ISHAK CHRISTIAN'S FAMILY ARE MOURNING, AND THE CHURCHES IN
INDONESIA SHOULD BE MOURNING AS WELL.  THEY ALL CERTAINLY NEED OUR PRAYER
SUPPORT.

WRITTEN BY KIE-ENG GO