Jakarta – Muslims in Tolikara, Papua, who clashed with a local church congregation in July, celebrated a peaceful Idul Adha holiday on Thursday.
Some 600 Muslims held a Day of Sacrifice prayer, supported by the Evangelical Church of Indonesia (GIDI) and attended by Social Affairs Minister Khofifah Indar Parawansa, as well as guarded by 347 police and military personnel, Antara news agency reported.
Khofifah said the Tolikara recovery program following the incident in July "has now officially ended".
The government helped rebuilt the mushala (small mosque) along with 77 kiosks that were engulfed during the July 17, 2015 clash, when an angry mob destroyed a market, after prohibiting Muslims from celebrating Idul Fitri outdoors. One teenager died in the Tolikara incident and 12 were injured. The clash attracted nation-wide attention as the small mosque was burnt down.
After the Idul Adha prayer on Thursday, Minister Khofifah gave two cows for the sacrifice, causing the grand total of cattle for the sacrifice to reach 32. Along with the minister, GIDI donated five cows, the Tolikara Regency Administration gave six and the provincial government provided two.
Separately, a Muslim community in Wamena, a district located 96 kilometers from Tolikara, held a bakar batu (rock over) ritual to commemorate Idul Adha.
A Muslim figure in the Jayapura District, Kahar Yalipele, explained that the ceremony was held during Idul Adha as a part of their regular program to celebrate annual Islamic festivals.
"Bakar batu, our tradition, was also held in the latest Idul Fitri holiday. It is our annual festival, not a new event for us," he said. Non-Muslim Papuans usually roast pig on the burning rocks, but for Idul Adha, the Muslim Papuans roast chicken instead.
Kahar said Muslims in Wamena, Jayapura, are committed to preserving inter-faith harmony and peace in the district. For the event, the Jayapura Municipality donated a cow for the sacrifice. (ags)
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/09/24/papuan-muslims-celebrate-peaceful-idul-adha.html