An attack by young Islamists on a church building in Indonesia led to a melee that threatened to involve Christian militias in defense, sources said.
In North Sulawesi Province, young Muslims from Molompar village, along with Islamists from outside the area, threw stones at the worship site of Silo Watuliney Christian Evangelical Church in Minahasa (Gereja Masehi Injili di Minahasa, GMIM) in Watuliney village, Belang Sub-District of Southeast Minahasa Regency, at about 1 a.m. on Nov. 30, according to Jawaban.com.
Two of the Muslim assailants from outside either village wielded sharp weapons, wounding two young Christian men from Watuliney village in the ensuing brawl, and assailants set off firecrackers near the church security post, according to SulutZone.com. Several church windows were shattered.
In retaliation, an angry Christian mob later set fire to a security post in Molompar village, according to BeritaManado.com.
A video of the altercation at the church circulated widely that morning, according to SulutZona.com, and Pojoksatu.id reported that unrest among the congregation and heightened tensions between residents of the two neighboring villages.
“In a short time, tensions spread to Molompar village, sparking the mobilization of residents from both sides,” Pojoksatu.id reported.
Police reportedly named 10 suspects in a “gang fight” between the two villages, according to BeritaManado.com. Police detained and questioned the two Muslims from outside the area who were wielding sharp weapons, North Sulawesi Regional Police Senior Commissioner Alamsyah Parulian Hasibuan reportedly said.
Under the hashtag #PrayForGMIMSilo, condemnation of the violence spread across social media, urging the communities to maintain a peaceful atmosphere, to be filled with a spirit of togetherness and not to succumb to provocation.
Police reacted quickly, deploying a large number of officers and appealing to residents of both villages to exercise restraint and ignore inflammatory rumors on social media. Investigation into the church vandalism was underway, said North Minahasa Regency Police Chief Handoko Sanjaya.
One of the Christian militias formed in Sulawesi decades ago as protection from Islamist massacres was activated. The commander of the Panji Yoshua Militia of GMIM’s Synod, James Sumendap, at about 8 a.m. instructed the force to gather at the nearby Lamet Ratahan neighborhood, and from there they proceeded to the church site for worship and to monitor the situation, according to Manadoline.com.
In addition to contacting several key church figures and their paramilitary units, Sumendap assigned his deputy, Henrik Mamuaya, to communicate with relevant parties. Mamuaya stated that he learned the Silo Watuliney church had suffered a prior incident on June 26, 2006, resulting in an agreement to resolve conflict.
“I think it’s time for us to urge the police to respond, review the agreement reached by both parties, and take firm action against those who violate the agreement and attempt to provoke,” Mamuaya, also known as Endi, reportedly said.
A woman identifying herself as Nah Hendrix, leader of the Manguni Militia, on Nov. 30 also mobilized personnel, Pavel 88 Channel broadcasted.
“These are the individuals who want to destroy tolerance in North Sulawesi,” Hendrix said. “Therefore, I, Nah Hendrix, am ordering my troops to join forces with all troops from traditional and non-traditional organizations to take action.”
The Youth Service Commission of the GMIM Silo Synod issued a press statement condemning the destruction.
“We strongly condemn all forms of violence and destruction of houses of worship that violate humanitarian and legal values,” the group reportedly stated, urging police to investigate thoroughly, transparently and fairly and urging residents to refrain from provocation.
Young Muslim men resumed provocations at the church that afternoon, however, with videos on social media showing residents of the two villages shouting at each other at the church site.
Indonesian society in recent years has adopted a more conservative Islamic character, and churches involved in evangelistic outreach are at risk of being targeted by Islamic extremist groups, according to Open Doors.
