Muslim Mob Attacks Catholic Students with Knives in Indonesia

More outreach from the religion of peace…..

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Muslims Attack Catholic Students with Knives in Indonesia

By Our Indonesia Correspondent, Morning Star News, May 8, 2024

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Two young women were slightly wounded when a mob of Muslims on Sunday (May 5) assaulted a group of 15 students engaged in a Catholic ritual prayer at a rented house in Banten Province, on the Indonesian island of Java, sources said.

Enraged at the Catholic group praying the rosary in a home rather than in a church building, the local neighborhood head incited area Muslims to break up the meeting and injure the two female students in the Pamulang area of Babakan village, Setu Sub-District, a suburb of Jakarta in Tangerang Selatan Regency, at about 7:30 p.m., according to published reports.

Some of the assailants were reportedly armed with a long machete, sickles, knives and blocks, and one of the young women suffered a slight wound near her nose while another sustained a minor wound in the stomach, in spite of efforts by local Muslims to protect them. A male Muslim student, Farhan Rizky Romadhon, also was reportedly attacked and suffered a cut on his head.

The conflict began when the neighborhood head, identified as Diding, peeped into the house where the students were praying, and then intruded in, reviling the students for the prayer ritual and ultimately dispersing them, according to Barak.id.

“Catholic students of Pamulang University were beaten and hacked in Viktor [in Pamulang, Babakan village], just because they PRAYED,” religious and human rights activist Permadi Arya, known in media as Abu Janda, posted on Instagram. “The incident was started by the head of the neighborhood (Ketua RT) named Diding who provoked residents.”

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Diding harassed, intimidated and beat the Catholic students and his fellow Muslims who were trying to prevent further chaos and harm, Permadi Arya stated.

Citing statements of the unidentified two female students, Permadi Arya asserted that Diding said holding the rosary prayer in the area disrespected him as a local leader, and that such rituals should be held in a church building.

“I have told you not to hold worship here,” Diding said, according to the students. “If you want to hold the worship, do it in the church there, as we Muslims do worship in the mosque. How dare you disrespect me as the head of the neighborhood, [expletive deleted].”

Besides calling on Indonesia Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to take legal measures on behalf of the Catholic students, Permadi Arya also asked for firm action from the government.

The attorney for the attacked students, Siprianus Edi Hardum, said in a press statement that a crowd started gathering around the site at 7:30 p.m.

“At 19:30, the crowd started to gather after hearing provocation from the RT head who shouted ‘Hey, [expletive deleted], if you don’t disperse, I will call the residents,’” Siprianus Edi said, according to Tirto.id. “The masses came carrying sharp objects as long machetes, sickles, and even blocks.”

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