Saturday, October 2, 2010

President deplores attack on Ahmadiyah followers

HEADLINES
Sat, 10/02/2010
1:34 PM

President deplores attack on Ahmadiyah followers
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed his regret on Saturday over an arson attack on houses and place of worship belonging to Ahmadiyah followers in Ciampea village in the West Java regency of Bogor on Friday night.

Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said the head of state had received a report on the act of violence and ordered the home minister to work with the regional government in seeking a solution to the problem immediately. The president also ordered enforcement of the law against perpetrators of the attack.

“The incident is regrettable and should have not occurred because it was sparked by misunderstanding between people of two different villages,” Julian quoted Yudhoyono.

The president said the police had found that the attack was ignited by rumors that Ahmadiyah followers had stabbed two residents of Pasar Salasa village to death.

“The rumor is not true, because until this morning no one has been confirmed dead or admitted to the hospital there. But the rumor quickly provoked the people to perpetrate the attack as they perceived the incident was related to religion,” Julian was quoted by kompas.com.

National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri has said peace and order has been restored in the village. There has been no report of arrests so far following the arson attack on followers of an Islamic sect which mainstream Muslim groups deem as heretical.

 
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