By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
JAKARTA (Worthy News) - Suspected angry Muslims raided a house church in Indonesia’s East Java province, just days after a similar incident in which two were injured, a pastor and other Christians told Worthy News on Friday.
The late Wednesday incident, which happened in a housing complex of Betiting Village, in the province’s Gresik Regency, was the latest in a series of reported attacks targeting devoted Christians in the world’s largest Muslim nation.
"They came to tell us to stop by shouting, inviting local residents to come,” including the community leader “who tried to calm them down," added a woman identified as Gabriella in published remarks.
She said the regular worship service, held at a home of a Gresik Regency Protestant Church in Western Indonesia (GPIB) member, “doesn’t use anything that triggers loud sounds, and this has been going on for 10 years.”
Yet while “they were solemnly praying, suddenly a family consisting of a husband and wife and a boy came screaming,” she said.
They were apparently joined by others shouting what Christian said were “dirty and cruel words” and caused nearly a fight.
POLICE INVESTIGATION
Local Police Chief Inspector Andik Asworo told the media that the “incident had occurred” after receiving a report from village officials.
He said police are “currently conducting an investigation” but expressed hope that the conflict will end through mediation.
Yet the clashes came shortly after Christians confirmed that two young women were slightly wounded when a mob of Muslims on Sunday assaulted a group of 15 Catholic students praying in a rented house in Banten Province, on the Indonesian island of Java.
Enraged at the Catholic group praying in a home rather than in a church building, the local neighborhood head incited area Muslims to break up the meeting, Christians told Worthy News.
During the confrontation, two female students were injured in Babakan village located in the Tangerang Regency area, a suburb of Jakarta, the nation’s capital, Christians said.
Four individuals were named as the main suspects in the assault on the Catholic students from Pamulang University (Unpam), gathering some 30 kilometers (19 miles) southwest of Jakarta, according to police.
ARMED MOB
Some of the assailants were reportedly armed with a long machete, sickles, knives, and blocks.
Christian said one of the young women suffered a slight wound near her nose, while another sustained a minor wound in the stomach.
A male Muslim student, Farhan Rizky Romadhon, who apparently tried to protect the students, was reportedly also attacked and suffered a cut on his head.
Prominent Pastor Gilbert Lumoindong said in comments shared with Worthy News that he “prayed that there would be justice regarding this incident.”
However, advocacy group Open Doors cautioned that “Indonesian society is increasingly influenced by conservative interpretations of Islam,” adding to difficulties for Christians.
“Polls regularly show that young people, especially, hold conservative views, and by-laws on Islamic dress are becoming more common,” Open Doors added.
Christians comprise nearly 11 percent of Indonesia’s mainly Muslim population of 282 million people, according to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) estimates.