 | NATIONAL Thu, 07/29/2010 10:17 PM |
Fresh attack targets Ahmadiyah members
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Kuningan, West Java
Clash broke out between angry mob and members of the Islamic sect Jamaah Ahmadiyah in Kuningan regency, West Java Thursday, damaging scores of houses and injuring at least three people.
Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto regretted the incident and told people to stop resorting to violence.
“The problem should be peacefully taken care of, not through violence which only disadvantages all,” he told Antara news agency.
The incident immediately drew criticism, with the National Commission on Human Rights member Hesty Armiwulan saying it shows the country’s poor law enforcement.
“The government should find solution to this problem, rather than to take side with one group and violating the other’s rights,” she said.
The clash erupted after some 500 protesters, claiming to come from several hard-line Islamic groups, forced their way into the sect’s complex at Manis Lor village, located some 40 km south of Cirebon city and is home to some 3,000 Ahmadiyah followers.
They soon pelted stones and wooden sticks against each others.
Upon order from Kuningan regent Aang Suganda, public order officers closed down eight Ahmadiyah mosques in the village on Monday and Wednesday. But the residents later opened up the seals.
On Tuesday the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace announced the result of its survey, which revealed rampant use of violence to suppress the religious freedom of minority groups in the country.
Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Djoko Suyanto regretted the incident and told people to stop resorting to violence.
“The problem should be peacefully taken care of, not through violence which only disadvantages all,” he told Antara news agency.
The incident immediately drew criticism, with the National Commission on Human Rights member Hesty Armiwulan saying it shows the country’s poor law enforcement.
“The government should find solution to this problem, rather than to take side with one group and violating the other’s rights,” she said.
The clash erupted after some 500 protesters, claiming to come from several hard-line Islamic groups, forced their way into the sect’s complex at Manis Lor village, located some 40 km south of Cirebon city and is home to some 3,000 Ahmadiyah followers.
They soon pelted stones and wooden sticks against each others.
Upon order from Kuningan regent Aang Suganda, public order officers closed down eight Ahmadiyah mosques in the village on Monday and Wednesday. But the residents later opened up the seals.
On Tuesday the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace announced the result of its survey, which revealed rampant use of violence to suppress the religious freedom of minority groups in the country.
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