ABC AUSTRALIA, 15/08/2002 10:06:55
Another sectarian clash in Central Sulawesi
An Indonesian Christian leader has blamed Islamic militants for an attack that killed
five villagers in Central Sulawesi's Poso district.
The A-F-P newsagency quotes the co-ordinator of the Christian Crisis Centre in
Tentena town, the Reverend Rinaldy Damanik, as saying the estimated 60 attackers
were Islamic and used automatic weapons.
But, he is also looking into allegations from Silanca residents that the paramilitary
Mobile Brigade police were involved.
A-F-P says a Laskar Jihad spokesman has blamed a third party for the attacks, but
would not be more specific.
A local military commander believes the attackers used homemade weapons and
efforts are underway to catch them.
Five churches were burned and hundreds of houses destroyed in the latest violence.
Some 500 to 1,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands left homeless
during two years of clashes between Muslims and Christians in Poso.
15/08/2002 10:06:55 | ABC Radio Australia News
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
