Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

List of Vandalized, Burned Churches during February 13-17 - 1998 Riots (Muslims, Indonesia)
www.fica.org ^ | February 1997

Posted on 11/19/2004 11:51:20 PM PST by miltonim

List of Vandalized, Burned Churches during February 13-17'98 Riots

Pamanukan District, Subang Municipality, West Java Province

The riot occurred on Friday, February 13, 1998.
Around 9:00 Western Indonesia Times (WIT) the police officers from Pamanukan sector urged the stores to be close immediately. The mob started to show up at 9:30 WIT. From the West side, the mob came by motorcycles, in a group of three per motorcycle. They wore black uniforms, with black head bands. The mob probably came from Ciasem. From the East side, the mob came by trucks. The two groups met on the crossroad between Jakarta-Cirebon highway and the highway to Bandung (Pamanukan crossroad). From that place the mob moved to attack the stores, restaurants, hotels, and churches at 10:00 WIT. All churches in Pamanukan were attacked.

1. Gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia (GPDI)
    Indonesian Pentecostal Church
    Senior Pastor: Rev. Gideon Erwanto
The door, benches, and musical instruments are destroyed. The pulput and the Bibles were burned. The mob tried to burn the church buildig but was stopped by the local neighbors.

2. Gereja Bethel Indonesia (GBI) Filadelfia
    Filadelfia Indonesian Bethel Church
    Loc:  E. Tirtapraja Street
    Senior Pastor: Rev. M. Lumban Raja
The mob attacked the church in three waves of attacks.
1st attack:   Stones were thrown to the building.
2nd attack:  The stone throwing was followed by the mob vandalizing the interior of the church through the pastoral room's door. They also destroyed the Kijang car belonging to the church. The police immediately came to protect the pastor and his family. They brought the family and the destroyed car to the police station across the church.
3rd attack:  After the police left, the mob was getting violent, and vandalized the church again. This time they looted the musical instruments and other belongings of the pastor family, they also destroyed the pastoral room.

3. Gereja Bethel Indonesia Hosana
    Hosana Indonesian Bethel Church
    Senior Pastor: Rev. Immanuel
The mob destroyed the pastoral room and broked the church's glass ornaments.

4. Gereja Kristen Kemah Daud (GKKD)
    Location: H. Ichsan St.
Glasses, the roof, and the garage with the church's car inside, were destroyed by the mob.

5. Gereja Kristen Indonesia (GKI)
    Indonesian Christian Church
    Senior Pastor: Rev. Tanusaputra.
Glasses, windows, the door, benches, and musical instumets were diestroyed.

6. Gereja Katolik "Maria Pembantu Abadi"
    Maria Pembantu Abadi Catholic Church
    Location: E. Tirtapraja St.
The altar, organ, benches, and all utilites in the Pastoral room, meeting room, and the church office were destroyed.  The mob tried to burn the church, but never succeeded.

7. TK, SD, SMP "Bunda Maria"
    Bunda Maria Kindergarten, Elementary School, and Junior High School
Stoned by the mob. The windows were broken.

Pusakanegara District, Subang Municipality, West Java Province

8. Gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia (GPDI)
    Indonesian Pentecostal Church
    Location: Pusakanegara Av.
    Senior Pastor: Rev. Yohannes Mawikere
Around 11:00 WIT, the neighbors of the church warned the reverend and his family to run away, because they saw a possibility of an attack to the church. The mother and the children stayed with the church's neighbor. The church utilities were packed immediately, while the pastor hid inside. Around 14:00 WIT, the mob gather at the front of the church. Two military officers came and watched over the mob, the mob yelled at them. They left the area, the mob started to throw rocks to the church, destroying the windows and the roofs. Security officers came immediately, and successfully turned the mob away. The incidents occured until approximately 16:00 WIT.

Sukamandi District, Subang Municipality, West Java Province

9. Gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia (GPDI)
    Indonesian Pentecostal Church
    Location: 9 A. Yani St.
    Senior Pastor: Rev. YAE F Rorong
The mob forced their way inside the church, the door was destroyed, the roof and the windows were broken. Musical instruments, half of the benches, and a bed were burned outside the church. Bibles and church documents  were burned inside the church. While the mob vandalized the church, the pastor hid in the pastoral room at the second floor. When the mob tried to go to the second floor, the pastor valiantly came out and faced the mob. He asked the mob not to go up and burn the church, because the pastor's baby grandchild was upstairs. The mob  didn't go up, they still tried to burn the church, but failed.
 
10. Gereja Kristen Pasundan (GKP)
     Pasundan Christian Church
     Location: approximately 100 meters from GPDI
Musical instruments, benches, church office, glasses, and the roof were destroyed by the mob yelling "Allahu Akbar"  The mob tried to burn the pulpit and the benches but failed. They also tried to burn the church office but the the fire turned off by itself.

Purwodadi District, Subang Municipality, West Java Province

11. Gereja Bethel Indonesia
      Indonesian Bethel Church
      Location: Purwodadi Av.
      Senior Pastor: Rev. Benyamin Haliman
On Feb 13, 1998, around noon, 12:00 WIT, the church was stoned by the mob. Only the glass ornament with the church's name was broken. The following day around 9:00 WIT, the mob stoned the church again. The  church was lightly damaged, because th mob did not go inside the church.

Kadipaten,  Majalengka Municipality, West Java Province

Riots occurred at Kadipaten since February 13, 1998, but the big one was on February 14. It continued sporadically  until this report was written, February 17. Stores, motorcycles, bicycyles, storage, and churches were the target of the mob's anger.  They destroyed, looted, threw rocks, and burned. The ashes are still visible in many places. All of the churches in Kadipaten were attacked, On the 16th, Kadipaten was again set on fire. 1 building materials store, a storage, and a grocery sote were burned, and looted by the mob, while government officials could only watch.

12. Gereja Kristen Pasundan (GKP)
      Location: Brawijaya St.
      Senior Pastor: Rev. Mentang.
On February 13, 1998, 1:30 PM WIT, 2 molotov bombs were thrown to the church that broke some of the glass ornaments of the church. The bomb did not destroy the church, because the fire was extinguished by the congregation of the church, who were guarding it. 2 suspects were caught by officials and the locals.

13. Gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia (GPDI)
      Location: Kadipaten Av.
      Senior Pastor: Rev. Yessi Pande Irot.
The church was stoned by the mob, but they were not able to get inside the church. The destruction was minimal because the church was protected by a strong wall, and it has few glass window.

Jatiwangi, Majalengka Muncipality

The riot happened on February 11, 1998 and the attacks kept coming sporadically until Saturday, February 14, 1998. A number of roof factories and stores belonging to church members were destroyed. Coca-Cola distributor, and churches were attacked.
 
14. Gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia (GPDI_
      Location: Jatiwangi Av.
      Senior Pastor: Rev. E. Rewa
The church was lightly damaged, because the mob failed to get inside the church. They threw rocks from the street accross the church, that broke the windows.

15. Gereja Penyebaran Injil (gPI)
      Location: 199 Tanjung Kerta St.
      Senior Pastor: Rev. M. Maugenest
Around 10:30 WIT threw rocks at the church, and they managed to get inside and vandalize the church and the pastoral room. Musical instruments were destroyed, but some of them were looted. All of the sound system and kitchen utensils were robbed. Benches are destroyed.  A Suzuki Carry belonging to the church was destroyed. The mob tried to burn the church but was stopped by the neighbors and the local leader. During that time, the pastor was at Bogor, attending Doa Puasa National (National Day of Prayer). The following day, the pastor went bak to the church only to find it destroyed. When he was at the location, around 9:00 WIT, the mob attacked the church again, and threw rocks to the church and Rev. Maugenst. He was saved by the neighbors. While he was hiding, the mob was still looking for him, and was about to attack. But he managed to save himself.

16. Gereja Krinsten Indonesia (GKI)
      Location: Lanud S. Sukani St.
The church was burned down to the ground. According to some government official, the church was not burned by the mob, instead the fire came from burned stores right next to and in front of the church. Whatever the reason was, the church is in ashes right now.

Jamblang, Cirebon Municipality, West Java Province

17. Gereja Kristen Indonesia (GKI)
The chruch was stoned on February 13, around 10:00 WIT. The glasses and the roof were badly damaged.
Unfortunately the front side and the church office were made with a lot of glasses. The attacking mob was the same mob who attacked Gereja Pantekosta Indonesia Filadelfia, and Rev. John Oroh's house.

18. Gereja Pantekosta Indonesia (GPI)  Filadelfia
      Location: Jamblang Av.
      Senior Pastor: Rev. John Oroh
The church was stoned. The front side of the church was damaged. The door was damaged, the lawn and its fences were torn down on February 13, 1998.  Half of the mob attacked Rev. John Oroh's house, which was approximately 700 meters from the chruch. It is found out that the location was pointed out by someone with a scout uniform. The front side was stone and damaged. The pastor and his family was inside their house when the mob attacked. Some young men who the FKK team met in front of the church complained about the price hike. It is hard for them to buy anything, someday they might have to pay with stones.

West Losari, Cirebon Municipality, West Java

Losari was the bloodiest incident, because government official had to open fire. One person died, and three others injured at West Losari. On the other side of the border to Middle Java, East Losari, soldiers from the Diponegoro division shot to death three rioters, because they attacked the soldiers with axe and saber. The riots happened since February 13, 1998.

19.  Gereja Katolik "Stasi Paska Kristus"
       Location:  Losari Barat Av.
       Senior Pastor: Rev. Paulinus
The church was stoned, its windows were broken. The mob did not go into the church, because it is located near a military headquarter and government officials manage to turn them away. Approximately 12:00 WIT the mob returned and tried to burn the church but was stopped by the officers.

20. Gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia (GPDI)
      Location: Losari Barat Av.
      Senior Pastor: Rev. SWH Temo
The church was heavily gurded by officials. The mob wsn't able to attack from the front side. They successfully attack from the back of the church through some banana plantations. The mob vandalized the pastoral room. The pastor's wive and a church worker were not harmed, but they were very shocked. During the incident, the pastor was still ministering a church member.

Ciledug, Kuningan Municipality, West Java

21. Gereja Bethel Indonesia
      Senior Pastor: Rev. Matius
On February 17, around 19:00 WIT, the church was stoned by the mod from the back of the building. The roof was destroyed.

22. Gereja Katolik Ciledug
On February 16, 1998, around 10:00 WIT, the church was stoned and lightly damaged.

23. Gereja Katolik JatiSeeng
On February 16, 1998,  the church was also stoned and lightly damaged.

Patrol, Indramayu Municipality, West Java

24. Gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia
     Location: Patrol Av.
     Senior Pastor: Rev. A.S. Kumolontang
On February 13, around 14:30 WIT, when the conggreagation was still praying in the church, suddenly,
70 people attacked and threw rocks to the church. They yelled, "ATTACK...! BURN...!" Some of the mob tried to get some gasoline from a Hajj who is a neighbor of the church. The Hajj refused. The damages was not very severe. A house, and a store next to the church were damaged. The target of the attack on the area was only the church. The neighborhood is very saddened by the incident.

Eretan, Kandanghaur District, Indramayu Municipality, West Java

Uneasiness and blackmailing happened almost every night. One of the mastermind, who paid the rioters five thousands rupiah per rioter, was caught. This person was released as long as this person kept the security of Eretan on check.

25. Gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia
     Location: Eretan Av.
On February 13, 21:00 WIT, musical instruments were taken away and dumped to the river. An officer who caught one of the troublemakers, who hadn't managed to escape through the restroom's ceiling. Incidently, the gun was fired. The mob outside the church thougth that their camrade was shot. They gathered outside the church. The officer was forced to release him.

26. Gereja Kristen Indonesia
     Location: solar rd.
The church was lightly damaged. During the attack, the neighbors, who were also Moslems, attacked the rioters, turned them away, and guarded the church.

27. Gereja Masehi Advent Hari Ketujuh (GMAHK)
      Location: Pang-Pang Block
      Senior Pastor: Rev. Manullang Siahaan
On February 13, around 20:30 WIT, the church was attacked by approximately 40 people. in 30 minutes  It was devastated.

28. Gereja Katolik Bintang Laut
The church building and the pastoral room were completely devastated. The door, window, roof, benches, Bibles were destroyed. The attack was about 10 minutes.

Pangalengan, Bandung Municipality, West Java

The riot occured at February 17, 1998, since 9:00 WIT. It was started by the gathering of people who couldn't get into the public trasportation vehicles, since the drivers were on strike. Nobody knew who started the riot. The mob suddently attacked stores. Officers from Yon Armed, Paskhas, Dalmas Polres Bandung, and members of dodik Secata immediately control the situation. A bus full of people withe Senior High School uniform, with bags full of rocks, was stopped by the authorities. They admitted that they were given five thousand rupiahs and uniforms by someone to create troubles (PR, 17 Feb' 98). The same thing happened at Cirebon, with the arrest of seven people who were distributing money to the unemployed and tricycle drivers (PR, 18 Feb'98)

29. Gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia (GPDI_
The church was stoned.  The roof and windows were damaged.

FKKJB
 

 


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: burned; churches; indonesia; muslims; persecution; southeastasia; vandalized

1 posted on 11/19/2004 11:51:22 PM PST by miltonim
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

Muhammad-inspired persecution of Christians, Jews and all non-Muslims continues...
2 posted on 11/19/2004 11:56:20 PM PST by miltonim (Fight those who do not believe in Allah. - Koran, Surah IX: 29)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson