Rioting Indonesian Christians were wrong
Ian Chai
Oct 13, 06 5:04pm

I read in a Reuters report dated Oct 9 that Indonesian police said that two Muslim men were killed on Sept 23 by a rioting Christian mob in Central Sulawesi.

This happened the day after Indonesia executed three Christians, Fabianus Tibo, Dominggus Da Silva and Marinus Riwu for leading a mob during Muslim-Christian violence in Poso, Central Sulawesi in 2000.

Many, perhaps most, Christians in Indonesia believe that the conviction was fraudulent, a claim that has some credibility because international human rights groups have questioned the fairness of the trial. It was claimed that the Indonesian government made these three men ‘sacrificial lambs’ in order to pacify the sentiments of certain extremist Muslims in the impending and expected conviction and execution of certain Muslims who were involved in the Bali bombings.

In response to the Sept 22 execution of the three, 1,000 Christians rioted in Poso and it was apparently during this riot that two Muslims traveling in a truck carrying fish were confronted. The mob apparently told them to stop, but they fled. The mob gave chase, caught, and beat them to death.

As a Christian, I want to unequivocally condemn the action of my fellow Christians who rioted against innocent Muslims and other Indonesians. Two wrongs do not make a right. I urge all Christians to remember Jesus' injunction to love our neighbour as ourselves. Not only neighbours: he also told us to love our enemies.

It is never right for us to attack anyone just because they happen to be of the same religion as someone else who may have hurt someone of our religion. You might believe that certain Muslims have killed innocent Christians, but this is no justification for attacking your neighbour
who just happens to be a Muslim.

I am encouraged to read that Indonesian church leaders have also appealed for calm.

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