Indonesia’s Papua Restores Peace
“Peace has been reached this morning at the Koramil office, where they [Muslim and Christian leaders] shook hands and hugged each other,” Tolikara Regent Usman Wanimbo in Jayapura told The Jakarta Post on Thursday, May 23.
“The situation was calm and economic activity has returned to normal. The event took place for only two hours.”
Last week, Christians in Tolikara, Papua, stormed a mosque while people were performing the `Eid prayer, setting the mosque on fire and attacking the worshipers with stones.
The Christians also burned down 6 homes and 11 stores; and forced Muslims to flee the city. The sectarian attack left one worshipper killed and twelve injured.
A police spokesman said that the incident was incited by a letter spread by local Christian leaders in Papua's Tolikara Regency last week.
The letter, by Evangelical Christians' (GIDI), stated a ban on `Eid prayers, wearing of the hijab and more in the city saying Muslims can go elsewhere.
Church in the district has denied having issued a letter that ban Muslims from performing the prayer, said Tedjo.
Six victims are still receiving treatment at a local hospital in Jayapura, three of them underwent surgery on Thursday.
“The bullets may have ricocheted and then hit the victims,” hospital director Yeremias Mzen said.
Signing the truce, Muslim and Christian leaders shook hands in the traditional pegunungan tengah way and hugged each other.
Meanwhile, Muslim preacher Ali Muchtar urged Muslim to refrain from provocative acts and renounce violence.
“Muslims in Java and Sumatra and other places should not take to revenge because positive measures have been taken as an alternative,” said Ali.
Dialogue
In a bid to restore religious harmony and unity among Tolikara faiths, President Joko Widodo announced plans to host a dialogue between religious leaders, indigenous leaders and Papuan figures to foster coexistence.
Moreover, the president has approved a compensation of Rp 1 billion (US$ 74,418) to help rebuild the kiosks and the musholla.
“We will also build 15 more kiosks in addition to rebuilding the 70 kiosks [which were burned and destroyed during the incident] for the locals there,” Badrodin Haiti and Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo said.
A few days after the attack, the situation at Tolikara is back to normal, with security guards are still in place in anticipation of a repeat of such violence.
Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim state with Muslims making up around 85 percent of its 237-million population.
Christians, both Protestants and Catholics, make up nearly 12 percent of the country’s population.
In the past years, Muslims have provided protection to churches during Christmas celebrations.
