Two churches were burned and another one vandalized in riots in Temanggung, Central Java, last Feb 10 that flared following the sentencing of a defendant in a blasphemy case which was considered too lenient. The incident shocked the nation because it happened just three days after an attack on Ahmadiyah Islamic sect followers in Cikeusik, Pandeglang, Banten, on Sunday that killed three people.
"It`s not true. The TNI never does such things such as orchestrating a conflict in the interest of a certain group or individual. We are neutral," he said here on Monday adding the TNI was very committed to carrying out internal reform and avoid being involved in political affairs.
Meanwhile, according to preliminary findings od the Human Rights Commission, riots in Pandeglang and Temanggung were engineered by certain people for specific purposea. The commission also said there was an impression that related authority "purposely" let the clashes happen.
Other quarters had stated the clashes could have been stopped had the police worked optimally at the time.
In connection with the incident in Pandeglang police investigators had questioned a number of local police officers.
Among them were outgoing Banten police chief Brig.Gen.Agus Kusnadi, chief of the Pandeglang district police Adjunct Senior Commissioner Alex Fauzi Rasyad and Director of Banten police intelligence division Senior Commissioner Adityawarman.
The police investigators had also named four new suspects in the Cikeusik incident. They were only identified as KE, KM, KMH, and YA alias I. The police had previously named UJ as a suspect.(*)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
