Muslim-Christian violence leaves 14 dead

Christian Century, Dec 9, 1998

At least 14 people died November 22 when a fight between Indonesian Muslims and Catholics at a gambling hall in Jakarta escalated into Muslim mob attacks on Christian churches in the city, Indonesia's capital. Eight of the dead were pulled from the rubble of the burned-out gambling parlor, where officials said the violence erupted.

According to reports, Muslims who disapprove of gambling attacked the parlor, which was guarded by Catholics who originally came from the eastern Indonesian island of Amboina. Catholics reportedly retaliated by throwing rocks at a mosque. At least five Ambonese were killed. Some 179 people were detained by police and dozens were reported injured.

The violence spread when Muslim mobs began attacking Chinese neighborhoods in north Jakarta. When the violence ended, nearly a dozen Christian churches had been burned or otherwise damaged. Indonesian Chinese, who control much of the Indonesian economy, have become a frequent target of Muslims caught in the Asian nation's current economic downturn and political uncertainty. With 90 percent of its 202 million people professing Islam, Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation. However, most members of the minority Chinese community are Christians or Buddhists.

In addition, East Timor and Amboina in eastern Indonesia are home to Catholics. East Timor, a former Portuguese colony, was invaded by Indonesia in 1975 and has been seeking independence ever since. Abdurrahman Megawati, a prominent Indonesian Muslim leader, blamed the violence on Muslim thugs. The violence followed on the heels of pro-democracy political violence in Indonesia that left at least 17 dead.