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| Southeast Asia |
| Police send reinforcement troops to Kuningan |
| 2010-07-31 |
| [Jakarta Post] West Java police have deployed about 500 reinforcement troops from the anti-riot and Mobile Brigade units to conflict-torn regency of Kuningan, following clashes between hard-line Muslim groups and followers of Islamic minority sect Ahmadiyah on Thursday. Spokesman for the National Police Insp. Gen. Edward Aritonang told a media conference peace and order had gradually been restored in Manis Lor village, where the fight erupted, but said the reinforcement troops were needed to prevent the communal conflict from recurring. "The police are there to secure the place so that no more fight will erupt. It's not true if we take side with one of the groups," Edward said as quoted by kompas.com. Earlier President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had asked the police to take tough measures against perpetrators of acts of violence in the regency. The fight followed a plan by Kuningan regent Aang Hamid Suganda to seal eight mosques belonging to the Islamic sect, which is deemed heretical. Village residents, mostly Ahmadiyah followers, resisted the plan and guarded the mosques, only to spark anger among hard-line Islamic groups. Edward said the attackers came from Kuningan and neighboring regions of Cianjur, Tasikmalaya, Garut, Cirebon and Banten. An Ahmadiyah follower and two police officers were injured in the clashes, Edward said. West Java police chief Insp. Gen. Sutarman called on the public not to take the law into their hands in settling the matter. "If Ahmadiyah is considered heretical, people can ask the government to enforce the law," he said. |
| Posted by:Fred |