Where is Obama calling on these “assailants” to stand down? Why isn’t anyone calling upon the Indonesian Islamic authorities to make stronger efforts to ensure that the adherents of the Religion of Peace don’t misunderstand it so drastically as to think that attacking Christians could be justified? Don’t they realize they’re just going to provoke those familiar figures on today’s political landscape, the bloodthirsty, revenge-minded Christians? “Christian worshippers attacked in Indonesia,” from AP, September 12:
BEKASI, Indonesia — Assailants stabbed a Christian worshipper in the stomach and pounded a minister in the head with a wooden plank as they headed to morning prayers Sunday outside Indonesia’s capital.
Neither of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.
No one claimed responsibility for the attacks. But suspicion immediately fell on Islamic hard-liners who have repeatedly warned members of the Batak Christian Protestant Church against worshipping on a field housing their now-shuttered church.
In recent months, they have thrown shoes and water bottles at the church members, interrupted sermons with chants of “Infidels!” and “Leave Now!” and dumped piles of feces on the land.
Local police Chief Imam Sugianto said Asia Sihombing, a worshipper, was on his way to the field when assailants jumped off a motorcycle and stabbed him in the stomach.
The Rev. Luspida Simanjuntak was smashed in the head as she tried to come to his aid….
Leading the charge against the Batak Christians has been the Islamic Defenders Front, which is pushing for the implementation of Islamic-based laws in Bekasi and other parts of the nation.
They are known for smashing bars, attacking transvestites and going after those considered blasphemous with bamboo clubs and stones. They also pressured the local government early this year to shutter the Batak church.
Perpetrators are rarely punished or even questioned by police.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who relies heavily on Islamic parties in parliament, has been widely criticized in the media for failing to crack down on hard-liners.
But he immediately called on authorities to investigate and to hold accountable those responsible for Sunday’s attack.
“We know who’s behind it,” said Maj. Gen. Timur Pradopo, the police chief in Jakarta, without elaborating. “But I don’t believe this is an inter-religous conflict.”
Of course not. All you have to do is call people “Infidels!” before attacking them, and you’ll thereby ensure that dhimmi authorities will find that the attack had nothing to do with religion.