Papuan leader wants investigation of tolikara incident

Papuan leader wants thorough investigation of tolikara incident - (d)

Jayapura, Papua, July 21 (Antara) - Pater Neles Tebay, Coordinator of Papua Peace Networks (JDP) calls for sympathy and serious attention to solving the problem of intolerance in Karubaga, regency of Tolikara, Papua.

"The Tolikara incident has drawn wide reactions from all over the country. My hope is that all of us take part in preventing undesired excess of the reactions," Pater Neles Tebay said here on Tuesday.

The celebration of Ied-ul fitr in Karubaga had been marred by an attack with one reported killed and kiosks and mosque (Islamic house of worship) set on fire.

The reactions via social media , newspapers and televisions were appreciable as it indicated an extraordinary concern for religious diversity in Papua, he said.

In order to prevent undesired effect, all Indonesians should pray for peace and harmony in the district of Tolikara and in all Papua," Pater Neles Tebay, the winner of a citation from the Tji Hak-soon Justice and Peace Foundation in South Korea in 2013, said.

"Please dont pray to God for the safety of one community and curse for other group. we should pray for all not only for certain group of Papuans.

"Please embrace us all in your pray . No one should rejoice over the suffering of others," he said.

He said peace would not come by itself , but it needs support from all through dialogs and with wisdom.

He called for support for police and the human right commission in their investigations to reveal facts that triggered the incident.

"Hopefully the investigations could make thing clear, whether the mosque caught fire or it was deliberately set on fire," he said.

It is also necessary to investigate the shooting of civilians and the motive promoting people to set kiosks on fire, he said.

Therefore, thorough investigations by police and the human right commission are important, he said.

"Only genuine information could help us to understand and see thing clearly what really had taken place at Tolikara," he said.

Understanding would help the people of Papua to develop and maintain peace together not only in Tolikara but in all Papua and Indonesia, he said.

Muslims performing Idul Fitri prayers were attacked and a number of kiosks and houses belonging to Muslims were set on fire on the first day of Idul Fitri celebration in Tolikara, on July 17, 2015.

The local Evangelical Christians in Indonesia (GIDI) on July 11, 2015, issued a letter banning Muslim minorities in Tolikara from performing Idul Fitri prayers.

The GIDI president later said the letter was wrong and the attack was caused by misunderstanding and communication.

ENDS

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