Tuesday, November 8, 2005

GIRLS SHOT IN THE HEAD; PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IN INDONESIA CONTINUES
Attack Follow The Gruesome Beheadings Of three Christian High School Students At The End Of October

http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s05110053.htm

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

POSO, CENTRAL SULAWESI, INDONESIA (ANS) -- The Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern (ICC) has just received news of a second attack on young Christian girls in Poso, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

They say that Ivon (last name unknown) (17 yrs.) and (Yuli) Siti Nuraini (17 yrs.) were shot in the head in the Gatot Subroto st area (Christian Area) of Poso near a Pentecostal church on Tuesday, November 8, at 7:45 pm local time (11:45 GMT am).

AN ICC spokesperson said, “It is reported that two armed men shot the girls point blank in the head with pistols. Ivon was shot through the left cheek and Siti was shot in the right cheek. Both are in coma and in critical condition.

“These attacks follow the gruesome beheadings of three Christian High school students at the end of October. It is reported that 10 national-level police officials are in Central Sulawesi heading up the investigation into the beheadings. This latest attack coming right under their noses comes as a complete embarrassment to the central government.

“There have been reports that the perpetrators of the beheadings are in custody but have not been formally charged. This latest attack also underscores the level of danger to Christians in the Poso area. This attack comes on the heels of 40 or more attacks against the Christian community, including shootings, killings, and major bombings. There have not been any convictions or arrests in any of these attacks.”

From 1998 to 2001 the Sulawesi Islands were the scene of sectarian clashes between Muslims and Christians.

Many now fear that the new acts of violence might signal renewed inter-religious violence.

“Local Muslim and Christian leaders have said that outsiders are responsible for the recent crimes, not local Muslims,” said the ICC spokesperson. “They believe that the culprits acted on order by some group bent on reigniting sectarian hatred in the area.”

ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC delivers humanitarian aid, trains and supports persecuted pastors, raises awareness in the US regarding the problem of persecution, and is an advocate for the persecuted on Capitol Hill and the State Department.