Despite the agreement that Indonesian Christians signed to refrain from taking legal action against Muslim groups that attacked the retreat site, the governor of West Java urged legal action against the perpetrators, sources said.
As police and soldiers have seen, on June 27, about 200 Muslims stormed a Christian youth hideout at their homes in West Java, kicking out participants and damaging their property. According to Sukabumisatu.com, Friday’s mosque prayer cried out after the mosque prayer on Friday, “Destroy that house, destroy that house, destroy that house,” and Muslim mob attacked Sukabumi, Sukabumi’s house in Sidahu district.
In addition to compensate the homeowner about $6,250 (USD), West Java Gov. Dedi Mulyadi has ordered the police to investigate and pledge all cases. Police have arrested eight suspects in connection with the incident.
“This is a serious crime issue that must be addressed legally,” Mulyadi said in a video cited by Mediaindonesia.com. “I believe that legal proceedings will proceed objectively. I believe that officers of the Perabhuhanbatu police at Skabu Millegency will act on the basis of facts and available evidence. I personally oversee the legal proceedings to ensure that it is done appropriately, objectively and thoroughly.”
In a July 1 video, Mulyadi said at a meeting in the office with families of the attacked house on June 30 that such prosecutors are aware of their status as local permanent resident. The house is owned by 70-year-old Maria Veronica Nina and is managed by Yonki Dien and other relatives.
“The vandalism incident involving residents targeting Mrs. Nina’s home is now occupied by nine families who were permanent residents of Yongki and Tankir village, but it is a serious criminal matter,” Malidi said.
He argued that the prosecution was the government’s duty.
“The government must maintain social harmony. West Java must be peaceful and calm,” he said before heading with his family to the Tankir village site on his way to the satellite town of Tangerang, Jakarta.
After inspecting Christian’s home on July 1, Muryadi said that Yongki’s family must have experienced psychological trauma due to the attack.
“Therefore, the psychology team in the West Java government will go to the location to provide psychological support,” he said. “Children need to recover and not be psychologically depressed. This family could be in harmony with their neighbors again.”
Yongki and his nine large families were evacuated to a hotel in Sukabumi city, West Java.
In contrast to the governor’s actions, the Ministry of Justice called for a halt to detention of the defendants, ensuring they were compliant with the law.
“In regards to law enforcement measures, the Department of Human Rights is actually pushing to suspend suspects’ detention, and of course we have an effort to enforce the law professionally, proportionately and fairly,” said Thomas, who tormented Swarta, a special staff member of the Department of Human Rights.
Thomas said the vandalism was the result of misunderstanding.
“There are many efforts and ways to seek justice, including restorative justice mediation efforts,” he said, adding that he would ask police to suspend detention.
In response, Samian, head of the Sukabumi Police Resort, said his team would postpone the defendant’s detention.
“A request to suspend detention is a legal right by the perpetrator or their legal representative,” Samian said. “This request is processed according to an established mechanism.”
According to Djisman Samosir, a criminal law expert at the Parayangan Catholic University (UNPAR) in Bandung, West Java, the recovery justice process can be carried out by the perpetrator along with the victim.
“There is a norm for restorative justice. There must be a consensus between the perpetrator and the victim,” Jisman said. “The police, prosecutors and judges are the only mediators. The perpetrators and victims are those who file lawsuits, make statements and hand them over to the police. So those are the rules.”
West Java Police Chief General Rudy Setiawan said seven perpetrators were involved in attacks, destruction, vandalism and looting. He said they damaged fences, big crosses and bikes, according to Detiknews.com.
A video circulating online shows a man climbing onto a wall and removing a wooden cross attached to it, using it to break a window. In another video, individuals can be seen damaging a property with chairs and various tools. Other videos show damage to the car.
One witness in the video said in her video that the attack began during a gaming session for retreat participants.
“We were having a gaming session and we suddenly heard a crowd coming,” she said. “They were slapping, screaming, and we were shocked at the moment. The stones were scattered. The stones were thrown everywhere and were told to leave the villa soon.”
They were shocked and tried to stay calm, she said.
“We tried to get the kids out of the villa right away, but it happened so quickly that they couldn’t grab their clothes, bags or equipment,” she said. “We flocked them all into the cars, and when we got out of the gate, every car we lived in was hit, plagued by stones, scratched, scratched, it really hurt our kids.”
Muryadi compensated the victims US$6,250 after taking steps to settle Christians and Muslims, according to Tribunnews.com.
“We will accept this support and distribute it for the benefit of public facilities and nearby mosques and prayer rooms,” Yongki said.
Indonesian society adopts a more conservative Islamic character, and churches involved in evangelical outreach risk being targeted by Islamic extremist groups, according to the open door.
