Alleged religious conflict in Madura: Police

Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya, East Java | Thu, 12/29/2011 4:29 PM
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A group consisting of hundreds of followers of Sunni, one of the branches of Islam, have allegedly burned down a property compound belonging to followers of Islamic Shia in East Java, police have said.

East Java Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rachmat Mulyana said Thursday the incident took place at 9:30 a.m. in Nangkrenang hamlet, Karang Gayam village, in Sampang, Madura, but there were no casualties.

“Police officers who tried to secure the scene were blockaded by a number of people holding sharp weapons,” he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

“They [the blockaders] shouted at police officers, who had been deployed from the local police station, while brandishing their weapons.”

Rachmat said police officers chose to withdraw to avoid a potential clash with the group, choosing instead to negotiate directly with Rois, a local figure who allegedly led the group who attacked the compound.

“At 1 p.m., police finally gained access into the boarding school’s compound located in a secluded area on a hill, following negotiations [with Rois] that were facilitated by the Sampang regent and the Indonesian Military (TNI),” Rachmat said.

He said police were still investigating at the scene, while hundreds of officers were standing guard to maintain security.