From: John MacDougall <apakabar@clark.net>
Subject: IN: ST - Burnt Churches Will Be Rebuilt
To: apakabar@clark.net (John MacDougall)
Date: Wed, 1 Jan 1997 20:46:07 -0500 (EST)

http://www.asia1.com.sg/straitstimes/pages/stsea2.html

     JAN 1 1997                                                 
     West Java town to help restore burnt churches

     BANDUNG -- The places of worship that were damaged or burnt in the
     West Java town of Tasikmalaya will be rebuilt with the help of the
     local administration.

     Tasikmalaya Regent Suljana WH promised residents that his
     administration would aid in the reconstruction of the 13 churches
     following last week's riots in which Muslim mobs attacked churches
     and Chinese-owned businesses and caused 50 billion rupiah (S$30
     million) in damages.

     Besides the 13 churches and a Hindu temple, some 89 shops, 12
     police stations, four factories, four schools, six banks and three
     hotels were damaged, reports said.

     The disturbances left four dead and 15 injured, with eight still
     in hospital.

     Lieutenant-Colonel Herman Ibrahim, spokesman for the Siliwangi
     Military Command, was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying that
     the military suspected that two main culprits were behind the
     riot. But he did not provide details.

     On the authorities' handling of the riot, the paper said that the
     National Commission on Human Rights found no evidence of violation
     of human rights.

     The commission said not one shot was fired as troops went about
     containing the unrest that broke out last Thursday over the
     alleged mistreatment of three Muslim teachers by four local
     policemen.

     At a meeting with West Java military commander Major-General Tayo
     Tarmadi, commission official Charles Himawan was quoted as saying
     that the security officers tackled the riots smoothly.

     Maj-Gen Tayo said that an official investigation had concluded
     that the riot did not occur spontaneously and had no direct links
     with the local Islamic boarding school.

     The commission would release its report on the riots later in the
     week, after commission members have visited the riot sites, the
     paper added.

     According to the Post, 87 of the 186 suspects detained during the
     riots would be questioned.

     Lt-Col Herman said that 50 of the 87 were held at the Tasikmalaya
     military command, 21 at the Tasikmalaya police precinct and 16 at
     the Ciamis police precinct.

     The rest would be released.

     On Monday, provincial officials met about 100 Muslim and Christian
     leaders in Tasikmalaya town to discuss the restoration of order in
     the wrecked town.

     The two groups of religious leaders made a pact on ways to prevent
     the violence from recurring and to prevent acts of vengeance.



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