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Indonesia

• Trial of Pastor Begins

  During this week's trial of Rev. Rinaldi Damanik, General Secretary of the Synod of the Protestant Church of Central Sulawesi, he denied ever possessing a weapon, let alone the fourteen handmade guns and ammunition reportedly found in his vehicle. Rev. Damanik's trial began on February 3 but was then postponed until February 10. He is accused of carrying weapons while traveling between Christian villages under attack in August 2002. He maintains that the police set him up when he was stopped.

  Damanik was a leader in the peace negotiations to stop the violence in Central Sulawesi. While a leader of the militant Islamic Laskar Jihad has been released (see last week's Persecution & Prayer Alert at www.vomcanada.com/pnparchive/arch3.htm), Damanik faces up to twenty years in prison if convicted. It is feared that Damanik will be a scapegoat to deflect attention from the continuing sympathy for militant Islam within the Indonesian government. According to Radio National from Australia, his lawyers allege that Damanik is a victim of political power plays by the elite and of State-sponsored terrorism. When asked what they thought of the legal system, Damanik's legal team stated, "Of all the systems in Indonesia, the legal system is the most rotten."

  Pray that truth will reign and that there might be fairness in the trial. Pray that the peace begun in Indonesia will continue.

• Jihad Leader Acquitted

  An Indonesian court acquitted a leader of the Laskar Jihad on January 30; a decision which has caused concerns among Christians in the country who have faced persecution, destruction and death at the hands of the militant Islamic group. Jafar Abu Thalib faced charges of inciting violence against Christians after a speech last April in Ambon in which he condemned a small Christian separatist group, calling on Muslims to take up arms. Soon afterwards, armed militants attacked a small village near by, killing 13 Christians.

  In his ruling acquitting Jafar, the judge ruled that Jafar was merely exercising his freedom of speech. In referring to the separatist group, the judge also justified Jafar's speech saying, "the government is trying very hard to safeguard the unity of the nation. Awards can be given to those who, without reserve, uphold the unity of our country, Indonesia."

  Though the Laskar Jihad has supposedly been dissolved, Christians in Indonesia have raised concerns for their safety. According to CNSNews, Fr. Cornelius Bohm of the Ambon Crisis Center views the trial outcome as further indication of the influence of militant Muslims in Indonesia. "The government is afraid of them and gives them a little pleasure every now and then to keep them calm," he said.

  Pray that militant Islamic groups will not see this as justification to renew their attacks against Christians. Pray that the peace in the Molucca region of Indonesia will continue. Pray for peace of mind as well for those facing uncertainty and fear.