Authorities Still Baffled by Muslim Attack on Indonesian Churches

HONG KONG (Compass)--Months after the June 9 incidents where some 5,000 Muslim fanatics vandali zed ten Protestant churches in the southern Indonesian city of Surabaya in separate, concurrent incidents, authorities have still made no progress in their search to find and punish the perpetrators.

Feisal Tanjung, Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces said, "We assure you that we will bring this case into court." That was said on June 17 in a speech to the Consultative Assembly in Bandung. But the investigation is going slowly.

Speaking to Compass on condition of anonymity, a Surabaya journalist stressed that he was not surprised at the lack of arrests. He said, "The police probably know some of the people who committed the acts of violence against the church properties, but they are more interested in finding who whipped up the mob and sent them on their orgy of destruction." He also added, "If that trail leads to a Muslim cleric, they may not dare to arrest him for fear that will provoke worse rioting."

Back to articles