Rev. Irianto's murder insult ti humanity: church official
October 17, 2006, Jakarta (ANTARA News)

The assassination of Christian Reverend Irianto Kongkoli in the Central Sulawesi city of Palu on Monday is an insult to humanitarian values and an indication of the state agencies`s failure to ensure the community`s security, a Catholic Church official has said."It seems human beings in this country (Indonesia) are no longer of any value," Father Benny Susetyo Pr, executive secretary of the Indonesian Bishops` Conference (KWI), said here on Tuesday.He was commenting on the shooting of Central Sulawesi Christian Church Secretary General Rev. Irianto Kongkoli by unidentified persons in Palu on Monday.Irianto was shot dead by masked gunmen in front of Sinar Sakti store on Jalan Mongonsidi at 8.15 a.m. local time in the presence of his his wife and five-year old daughter, Gea.Noting that acts of violence had often happened in Palu and Poso in the recent past, Father Benny said if they continued to occur, the government`s role in enforcing the law and maintaining security for all Indonesians would come into serrious question.He said inability to prevent acts of violence, bombing terror and murders in religiously-divided Central Sulawesi would indicate a dramatic decline in governmental authority.Benny expressed hope the government would quickly investigate Irianto Kongkoli`s murder and uncover the parties involved in the crime.Meanwhile, the Jakarta Post daily reported on Tuesday that the Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) condemned the slaying of the pastor and urged religious leaders in the conflict-torn region to avoid provocation and keep their followers calm over the incident."We convey our deepest remorse and regret over the shooting of Rev. Irianto Kongkoli," the PGI said in a statement, urging the government to tackle the fundamental problems in Central Sulawesi and tighten security there to prevent more violence. (*)
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