Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Jayapura (Agenzia Fides ) - Young Christians from Papua are committed today as sentinels to guarantee security to all the Muslim communities who are praying and fasting for the end of Ramadan and to ensure that the celebrations for Eid, which should take place today, is carried out peacefully . This is what is happening in Papua ( also known as Irian Jaya), the Indonesian province where more than 65% of the population are Christians, mostly Protestants. The gesture, in the sign of dialogue and interfaith friendship, recalls the security services organized by moderate Muslim groups after the attacks on Indonesian churches, which occurred in the past.
As reported to Fides by the local Church, the leaders of different Christian communities in Papua have asked young people to express respect and friendship towards the Muslims (who are, by and large, the large majority in Indonesia), supervising the observance of prayer and fasting and the Eid festival, which ends the holy month of Ramadan. The appeal was necessary because of episodes of violence and crime, and the tensions that have lately troubled the atmosphere in the society of Papua. Christian leaders in Jayapura (capital of the province) have said publicly that "they want to collaborate with the authorities and Muslim leaders in order to have a quiet and safe city", deploring every violent act committed by Christians or Muslims, that threaten social harmony.
As reported to Fides by Catholic sources in Indonesia, the moments of sharing, celebration, friendship and inter-exchange, on the occasion of Eid, are also organized in the Archdiocese of Semarang and Jakarta. In Bekasi, in Jakarta suburb known for the presence of Islamic fundamentalist groups and episodes of tension between Muslims and Christians, the Catholic faithful of the Church of St. Bartholomew prayed for the Muslim believers, who celebrate Eid, in the hope that Eid "can bring spiritual benefits to the brothers of Islam religion and relationships between believers of different faiths". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 31/08/2011)
