One of two 17-year-old schoolgirls shot at close range near a Pentecostal church in Indonesia has died.
Siti Nuraini, a Muslim, died Wednesday in Poso's Kota general hospital on the island of Sulawesi. Her Christian friend, identified only as Ivon, remains in critical condition after the attack Tuesday, Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports.
An earlier report from Indonesia said both girls were Christians, but International Christian Concern confirms Nuraini was Muslim.
The attack Tuesday came shortly after the beheading of three Christian schoolgirls Oct. 29, marking a further escalation of the tensions, according to CSW.
Ida Sambue and Theresa, both 16, and Alfita, 18, were on their way to a Christian school they attended with 150 other children when they were attacked. A fourth girl, Noviana, 16, was left seriously injured.
According to CSW, the heads of the girls were found separately inside plastic bags with a warning written on them that another 100 Christian teenagers would be killed. Local leaders fear the latest shooting is linked to fulfillment of the threat.
Rev. Rinaldy Damanik, moderator for the Central Sulawesi Christian Reform Church and chairman of the Central Sulawesi Churches Crisis Co-ordination Center, appealed for calm.
He is in the United Kingdom on a speaking tour with CSW and has been in close touch with Christians and government officials in Sulawesi. Damanik stressed security officials needed to act promptly to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice and also to prevent further attacks.
"I am very upset by this further violence," he said. "A very, very bad situation is getting worse. This attack is part of the militants' efforts to provoke further violence. I urge the UK government to realize this is not just a religious matter but an attack on human rights."
Tina Lambert, CSW's advocacy director, said it's clear the latest attack was designed to provoke further violence.
"CSW adds its voice to Rev Damanik's in calling for calm in the face of such an appalling incident," she said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who have lost their daughter. We urge the Indonesian government to do more to protect the innocent and prevent a return to widespread inter-religious violence."
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Djoko Santoso said the Indonesian military had apprehended five men believed to be responsible for the beheadings, the Jakarta Post reported. A spokesman for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the Indonesian leader had ordered security forces to bring the perpetrators to justice and urged residents not to launch revenge attacks.
The Post said that by the end of October, 3,500 police and army personnel were stationed in Central Sulawesi after extra numbers were drafted.
According to Compass Direct, a news agency that monitors persecution against Christians, more troops arrived in Poso Nov. 3 in the wake of the discovery of a homemade bomb found near the home of a local government official. The bomb was defused by a police squad.
Another bomb was placed on a minibus traveling from Palu to Poso Oct. 27, Compass Direct reported. The bomb exploded, seriously injuring a 54-year-old man. Other passengers were treated for minor injuries. Police said the bomb was a low-explosive device, filled with shrapnel for maximum impact. The minibus, named "Omega," was owned by a Christian.
As WorldNetDaily reported in 2001, more than 2,000 people died in three years of clashes in Central Sulawesi province before a peace agreement was reached between Muslim and Christian leaders.
An Islamic terrorist group called Laskar Jihad threatened to eliminate Christians from the region but was held off by government troops.
Since the agreement, however, sporadic attacks – mostly against Christians – have continued, CSW said.
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