Murder, Attempted Murder and Destruction of the Doulos Christian Ministry Compound

• Many of the following statements seem to be a justification for the murder of a theological student, attempted murder of others and  burning down of the Doulos complex.

• A few days after the Christian Doulos complex was burned down, a new Muslim controlled psychiatric center was opened in the same part of Jakarta.

• The Doulos complex was on a one way street and it would have been easy for law enforcement to block the road and arrest everyone. Several hundred criminals were involved and spent hours in the commission of their crimes, but only about 11 were arrested and some of them have already been released.

Noegroho says 'brochures provoked Doulos burning'

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said on Saturday that the arson attack on the Christian Doulos foundation late last year was in connection with anger sparked from the distribution of brochures on Christianity. 

He said police found during their investigation that the foundation handed out brochures and circulars on Christianity to local residents and schools. [Yet nobody in the local community complained and the murdering mob came from another area.]

"The police found all these brochures and circulars which were distributed to local residents... they even reached schools. There are witnesses who saw the brochures distributed as well," Noegroho told The Jakarta Post.

"It was not only brochures... there were several things that had to do with Christianity. This matter could have been solved in a civil manner, but there was no communication between the angry parties and the Doulos foundation."

Some 300 people, armed with sharp weapons and Molotov cocktails, stormed the foundation complex in Cipayung, East Jakarta and burned some of the buildings to the ground on the evening of Dec. 15 after the Tarawih (the evening Muslim prayer during Ramadhan fasting month).

Noegroho also confirmed that one of the nine suspects being held by the city police is a former employee of the local Directorate of Social and Political Affairs (Ditsospol), while two others are University of Indonesia (UI) students, who are members of the Defenders of Islam Front (FPI).

"Sudarsono is the one from Ditsospol. I think he was assigned by his office to check out how far this foundation was going to distribute information about Christianity," Noegroho said.

"Of course, there were efforts to provoke anger between the parties. The anger had nothing to do with UI students being members of FPI. All the residents in the Cipayung area have an emotional attachment to the complex."

"Some residents are from Ciracas, some from Cilangkap. They are all close to one another and knew this problem very well."

Noegroho flatly denied that the Army was involved in the arson.

The foundation is about 500 meters from the Indonesian Military (TNI) headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta. No military members were sent to the fire, which lasted until the early morning of Dec. 16.

The first eleven suspects detained for questioning were identified as Sumardi, Imam Saurozi, Untung, Anuri, Hamdi, Djainudin, Johan, Mislan, Taufik, Heri and H. Sanin, alias Sudarsono.

Of the 11, it is not clear which two suspects were recently released due to a lack of evidence.

"I cannot tell you all of that now," Noegroho said.

A source close to the investigation said that FPI and Doulos had not been on good terms lately.

"They (FPI) accused Doulos of handing out circulars every other week reporting the conversion of Muslims to Christians," the source said.

"Doulos not only helps drug addicts and patients suffering from mental illness, but they teach people about Christianity. That is not exactly conversion, but FPI got mad about it."

"Recently, one person -- we don't know from which group -- went to each house in the Jl. Tugu area, petitioning each household to sign a piece of paper, saying that residents did not like the complex being there. Not one resident signed."

City News — December 17, 1999

JAKARTA (JP): The victims of an arson attack at the Doulos humanitarian foundation on Jl. Tugu in East Jakarta on Wednesday night were mostly students studying for their mid_semester theology examinations, witnesses said on Thursday.

Theology student Sariman, 31, died during the attack. His teacher mourned him as a "potential reverend".

Serious injuries were sustained by at least 17 people, all of whom are receiving treatment at the Indonesian Christian University (UKI) Hospital in East Jakarta. At least four local residents were reportedly wounded by spears.

Eva Andayani Sukmarahayu, 28, a third_semester theology student, said she was studying with her friends till about 9 p.m., and then heard banging and items being thrown against the buildings' walls.

"I went outside and saw the fire ... it was everywhere and it surrounded the entire complex. Myself and my two friends, Ati and Rudy who are in their first semester, ran out," Eva said, from her UKI hospital bed, where she is receiving treatment for severe head injuries.

"When we came out, the crowd saw us and ran after us. We ran to the nearby home of Pak Zakaria, one of our theology teachers. We stayed there for a while with Pak Zakaria and a nurse, and saw the fire licking the walls. We got very scared, got out, and again, were followed by a crowd.

"Most of the crowd had white handkerchiefs covering parts of their faces, and their clothes __ everything about them scared us. They had machetes, sickles and we don't know what else.

"They struck each one of us on the head. Each time they struck, they screamed. It rang in my ears, till I fainted."

Second_semester theology student Elsya Taniwel said she and other friends were studying in their rooms when the fire started in the women's dormitory.

"We ran to our lecturer's home nearby, but it was already on fire, and so the lecturer and his family ran through the parking lot. The attackers were already there," she said.

Taniwel said they repeatedly pleaded for the mob's mercy.

"But they wouldn't spare us and kept repeating: Bunuh saja, bunuh! (Just kill them!)"

She said that three of the students managed to flee by crawling under a barbed wire fence, while others stayed behind, including the lecturer, Reverend Zakaria Pattimukai, his wife and two children.

"I don't know what happened next, but I saw them hit Pak Zakaria on his back," she added.

Eva's friend Ati, who also suffered head injuries, said: "The men who were striking and burning, were mostly wearing kopiah (headdress) and selendang putih (white cloths)."

Doulos staff member Piter Kuaufwione said he suspected military officers were involved in the arson attack.

"The man who was guarding the main entrance gate when the crowd stormed the complex was the marine officer who used to work in the area.

"He was not wearing his uniform though, but a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. I haven't heard the latest news about him after the attack," Kuaufwione said at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital morgue.

"After the mob succeeded in breaking into the complex, they threw something on fire at the security post, and started to burn a motorcycle parked opposite the post. After that, there was only chaos."

Following the destruction and the burning which continued until early Thursday morning, dozens of children and adults in the Cipayung area arrived at the scene looking for items to loot.

"I think I could use this," a woman carrying a baby said, while picking up a plastic jug and melamine dinnerware from the almost completely destroyed dining room.

Children stole angklung (Sundanese bamboo music instruments) from the library.

"Hey look, these crazy kids have many toys to play with. Let's take them home," one of the children said.

An old man's face clouded with anger as he passed by the room, telling the children: "Hey, those things make too much noise, but what the heck, bring them along."

When one journalist investigated the state of the storage rooms, she discovered that somebody had recently defecated in a closet.

Nearby residents were determined to souvenir items from their visit to the destroyed complex, including side mirrors from the five burned cars.

Kuaufwione said that about all that remained after the contents of the house had been picked over was a motorcycle and an old scooter. (ylt/01)

Idul Fitri reflections

Idul Fitri has arrived again, and as usual, it is a time to rejoice and to contemplate, as well as a time for self-reflection. Coming at the end of Ramadhan, Idul Fitri caps the holy month during which Muslims refrain from eating and drinking, and restrain from indulging in earthly pleasures, such as sexual relations, from dawn to dusk. It is a spiritual exercise to bring one's emotions under control, and to elevate one's self spiritually. Ramadhan is a time to say a lot of prayers. [Ironically, the Doulos murder and destruction took place during the month of Ramadhan by those who were admittedly Muslim. The question is: Who is the real Muslim?]

Fasting, restraining oneself and praying are part of the ritual that, practiced properly, will bring one closer to God. For many people, particularly those who feel they have passed the test, Idul Fitri is greeted with joy. And what better way of marking this "victory" than by celebrating it with loved ones.

Idul Fitri is also a time to be charitable and to forgive as well as to ask for forgiveness. Zakat fitrah (the alms Muslims must give to the needy at the end of Ramadhan) symbolizes the care toward those who are far less fortunate. It is a reminder of our obligation to our community. The traditional Indonesian Idul Fitri greeting, Maaf Lahir dan Batin (to give and ask for complete forgiveness), underpins the need to forge a stronger brotherhood, not only within our own immediate circles, but also within our community, the nation and the world. The prayer to be conducted en masse in open fields or at mosques on the morning of Idul Fitri day is another reminder of our place in a community and, therefore, of the need to forge a strong sense of belonging in the community we live in.

So while Idul Fitri marks a personal achievement in the endeavor to reach a higher spiritual existence during Ramadhan, it should have a strong impact on the life of our community. Looking around us, especially at the violence that has continued in various parts of Indonesia and the seemingly endless bickering among the nation's leaders, one gets the feeling that all the wisdom that Ramadhan and Idul Fitri should have brought has failed to truly prevail in this country.

In the last few months, including these past four weeks of Ramadhan, we have witnessed some of the bloodiest conflicts seen in this country for a long time. The nation's leaders seem helpless as violence in Aceh and in south and north Maluku cause more deaths and destruction. There have been smaller, but equally tragic incidents elsewhere in the country, including the attack on the Doulos Christian complex in Jakarta last month and the recent killing spree of Muslim teachers in Malang, East Java.

In some of these conflicts, it was unfortunate, and very dangerous too, that religious banners were used to justify the attacks. In Maluku, what began as a row between a passenger and a bus conductor nearly 12 months ago has escalated into a sectarian war pitting Muslims against Christians. There is no doubt that neither religions, whose real message is peace for all mankind, condones the violence being carried out on its behalf by either followers. What these conflicts mean, however, is that many Christians and Muslims in Maluku could not share the joy of last month's Christmas or this week's Idul Fitri as brought to their brethren elsewhere in the world. They celebrated these two events in fear for their lives, or in squalid refugee camps.

As we rejoice Idul Fitri tomorrow, we must spare our thoughts for those who are far less fortunate than ourselves, particularly Muslims and Christians in Maluku and those who live in fear in Aceh. Our thoughts must also go to those who are still struggling after their lives were devastated by the economic crisis.

While the condition around us should not dampen our spirit, this is an Idul Fitri which we want to celebrate solemnly. During our prayers, we should pray for the well-being of our fellow countrymen whose lives have been destroyed, and for our leaders, upon whose shoulders lie the challenging task of ending the violence and suffering of our people.

04/25/2000