Indonesian Shiite refugees in Madura need food, clothing

Indonesian Shiite refugees in Madura need food, clothing

The Jakarta Post, December 30, 2011

Hundreds of Shiites are in need of food, clothing, blankets and baby formula in the wake of the arson attack on their Islamic boarding school in Madura, East Java.

An adviser to the Shiite community, Iklil al Milal, said on Friday that more than 300 Shiites were evacuated to the Sampang sports center, about 20 kilometers from their compound.

“Some of us have chosen to stay at our homes to keep an eye on their livestock,” Iklil told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Iklil said that most members did not bring anything with them as they fled.
“We’ve been asked to stay here temporarily to facilitate the arrest of the perpetrators. We have reported several names allegedly involved in the attack to police, but no one has been arrested yet,” Iklil said.

“We will eventually leave the shelter if the process takes too long,” he added.
The compound belonging to the Shiites was torched on Thursday, reportedly by hard-line adherents of Sunni Islam, which comprises the majority of Muslims in Indonesia.

Several buildings were damaged, including a student dormitory, a mosque, a kitchen, a store and the home of Shiite Islamic boarding school principal Tajul Muluk, Iklil said.
“Our losses might reach Rp 700 million [US$77,000],” he said. (swd)