Reuters can’t guess who these unidentified mobs might be — well, they can’t guess till later in the story:
Unidentified mobs vandalised at least two churches near the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, during services and wounded a preacher who tried to stop them, police said on Monday.
One local newspaper said four churches were damaged in the incident on Sunday.
Reuters is quick to let us know that Muslims are tolerant and that poverty is the root cause of conflict.
More than 80 percent of Indonesia’s 220 million people are Muslims, and most are tolerant of other religions. But many poor Muslims see minority groups, especially ethnic Chinese Christians, as controlling the country’s economy.
Isn’t it odd how there is so often a shadowy, powerful minority oppressing these peaceful Muslims?
Besides, when churches are outlawed, only outlaws will have churches:
The attacks happened at shops that had been turned into churches. We have a report that one priest suffered wounds in the attack,” national police spokesman Inspector General Paiman said.
“We are looking into whether these churches had permits and whether this was (provoked) by locals displeased with them.”
A permit would have no doubt made all the difference.