JAKARTA, Indonesia — Hundreds of people calling themselves the Muslim Community of the Puncak Route burned buildings under construction belonging to a Christian organization in West Java province on April 27.
Believing that a church or school building was being built, the mob set fire to the Penabur Christian Education Foundation’s unfinished guesthouse buildings in Cibeureum village of Cisarua subdistrict, Bogor Regency. They also burned a watchman’s hut and at least two cars belonging to foundation directors.
A foundation representative identified only as Mulyono denied that it was building a school or a place of worship. Mulyono added that the guesthouse, a term synonymous with “conference center” in Indonesia, will be used for education and training.
The representative said the foundation had received building permits in June of 2009. An official identified only as Nuryadi of the Bogor Regency office confirmed that all of permits for a guest house and use of the land had been granted in June 2009.
A consultant said the Penabur foundation, which runs approximately 60 schools across Indonesia, has been building Icharius Guest House since February and had expected to see it completed in August. Construction has been suspended, also as a precautionary measure.
At press time police had no suspects for the attack.
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