Yemris Fointuna and Yacob Herin, The Jakarta Post,
Maumere/Kupang
The town of Maumere gradually returned to normal on Monday
following an overnight riot in protest against a Catholic mass
that was disrupted by an outsider.
During the rampage on Sunday, thousands of angry rioters
attacked a mosque, the official residence of the local police
chief and several shops. Social and economic activities were still
halted on Monday although the police had managed to restore order
in the predominantly Catholic town just after midnight.
Maumere Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. FX Bagus Wicaksana said the
police had arrested Francisco Munilang, the skipper of the Monalisa
passenger vessel, which was making a stopover here on its way from
Bali.
Upon searching Francisco, the police found two different
identity cards with the first stating he was a Muslim resident of
Bima in West Nusa Tenggara and the second saying he was a
Protestant resident of Sangir Talaud in North Sulawesi.
Witnesses said the skipper attended morning mass in St.
Joseph's Church here and received holy communion, which may only
be given to those who have been baptized. Francisco, the witnesses
said, held onto the host before a mass attendant took it back and
returned it to Father Johan Eo, who was the celebrant.
Bagus said the mob began to run amok at around 9 a.m. local
time, just after the mass. His residence was among the targets of
attack.
The police used tear gas and fired warning shots to disperse
the mob but only after 1 a.m. on Monday morning was peace and
order fully restored. No casualties were reported in the incident,
the third of its kind on Flores island.
On Monday, East Nusa Tenggara Governor Piet A. Tallo and
provincial police chief Yacobus Jacky Uli called for calm and
asked religious leaders to help maintain harmony among people of
different faiths.
